Non-interest revenue, net of CCPB, was $2,465 million, compared with $2,562 million in the prior year. The decrease was primarily driven by lower securities gains and decreases in trading, foreign exchange other than trading, and card fee revenue, partially offset by higher insurance and underwriting and advisory fee revenue, as well as investments in associates and joint ventures. On an excluding trading basis, net of CCPB, non-interest revenue was $2,397 million, compared with $2,447 million in the prior year.
Gross insurance revenue increased $332 million from the prior year, primarily due to a higher increase in the fair value of investments in the current quarter from larger decreases in interest rates, compared with the prior year, and the impact of stronger equity markets in the current quarter. These changes related to the fair value of investments were largely offset by changes in policy benefit liabilities, the impact of which is reflected in CCPB, as discussed on page 13. We generally focus on analyzing revenue, net of CCPB, given the extent to which insurance revenue can vary and that this variability is largely offset in CCPB.
Q3 2020 vs. Q2 2020
Revenue was $7,189 million, an increase of $1,925 million or 37% from the prior quarter. Revenue, net of CCPB, increased $539 million or 10% from the prior quarter, or 11% excluding the impact of the weaker U.S. dollar.
Revenue increased in BMO Capital Markets, primarily due to higher trading revenue, and in BMO Wealth Management, largely due to higher insurance revenue, the impact of a legal provision in the prior quarter and stronger global markets. U.S. P&C revenue decreased, primarily due to lower deposit margins and non-interest revenue, partially offset by higher deposit balances, while Canadian P&C revenue was relatively unchanged. Corporate Services revenue decreased from the prior quarter, due to lower treasury-related revenue. The current quarter included two more days.
Net interest income increased $17 million, relatively unchanged from the prior quarter, or 1% excluding the impact of the weaker U.S. dollar. On an excluding trading basis, net interest income decreased $111 million or 4%, or 3% excluding the impact of the weaker U.S. dollar, largely due to lower net interest income in Corporate Services and BMO Capital Markets, partially offset by higher net interest income in BMO Wealth Management and Canadian P&C, with higher balances and the impact of two more days in the current quarter in Canadian P&C more than offsetting lower margins.
Average earning assets increased $40.6 billion or 5%, or 6% excluding the impact of the weaker U.S. dollar, primarily due to higher cash resources, higher securities, loan growth, and higher securities borrowed or purchased under repurchase agreements. BMO’s overall net interest margin decreased 11 basis points from the prior quarter, primarily due to a higher volume of assets in Corporate Services, which has a lower spread than the bank, and lower margins in Corporate Services and our P&C businesses, partially offset by higher trading net interest income. On an excluding trading basis, net interest margin decreased 17 basis points from the prior quarter, due to the drivers noted above.
Non-interest revenue, net of CCPB, was $2,465 million, an increase of $522 million or 27% from the prior quarter, or 28% excluding the weaker U.S. dollar. The increase was primarily driven by higher trading, insurance and underwriting and advisory fee revenue, increased revenue from securities gains and higher investment management and custodial fee revenue. On an excluding trading basis, net of CCPB, non-interest revenue increased $237 million or 11%, or 12% excluding the impact of the weaker U.S. dollar.
Gross insurance revenue increased $1,487 million from the prior quarter, primarily due to an increase in the fair value of investments in the current quarter from decreases in interest rates, compared with a decrease in the fair value of investments in the prior quarter from increases in interest rates, higher annuity sales, and the impact of stronger equity markets in the current quarter. The increase in insurance revenue was largely offset by changes in CCPB, as discussed on page 13.
Net interest income and non-interest revenue are detailed in the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
Q3 YTD 2020 vs. Q3 YTD 2019
Revenue was $19,200 million, compared with $19,396 million in the prior year. Revenue, net of CCPB was $17,492 million, an increase of $470 million or 3% from the prior year, or 2% excluding the impact of the stronger U.S. dollar.
Revenue increased in BMO Capital Markets, primarily due to higher trading revenue, and in our P&C businesses, primarily due to growth in deposit and loan balances, partially offset by lower margins and lower non-interest revenue. BMO Wealth Management net revenue decreased, primarily due to lower insurance revenue. Corporate Services revenue also decreased from the prior year.
Net interest income was $10,441 million, an increase of $917 million or 10%, or 9% excluding the impact of the stronger U.S. dollar. On an excluding trading basis, net interest income was $9,022 million, an increase of $336 million or 4%, or 3% excluding the impact of the stronger U.S. dollar, largely due to higher net interest income in our P&C businesses, with higher balances more than offsetting lower margins, and BMO Capital Markets, partially offset by lower net interest income in Corporate Services.
Average earning assets were $844.3 billion, an increase of $92.0 billion or 12%, due to loan growth, higher cash resources and higher securities. BMO’s overall net interest margin decreased 4 basis points, primarily driven by a higher volume of assets in Corporate Services and BMO Capital Markets, which has a lower spread than the bank, lower margin in Corporate Services, and lower margins in BMO Wealth Management and U.S. P&C, which were impacted by the lower interest rate environment, partially offset by higher trading net interest income. On an excluding trading basis, net interest margin decreased 19 basis points, due to the drivers noted above.
Non-interest revenue, net of CCPB, was $7,051 million, compared with $7,498 million in the prior year, primarily due to a decrease in trading non-interest revenue, lower securities gains, and decreases in card fee revenue, foreign exchange other than trading and insurance revenue, partially offset by higher lending revenue and underwriting and advisory fee revenue.
Net interest income and non-interest revenue are detailed in the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements.
Adjusted results in this Revenue section are non-GAAP amounts or non-GAAP measures. Please see the Non-GAAP Measures section.
11 BMO Financial Group Third Quarter Report 2020