Shares in the Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY), or RBC, started the year under significant pressure, as the shares were hit with negative Canadian macroeconomic news. RBC, which is Canada's largest lender, based on assets, proved to the market that it is not being impacted by the various macroeconomic issues, such as lower oil price, the domestic housing market, lower interest rates, and a weaker Canadian dollar. For the first quarter of 2015, earnings increased a whopping 17 percent on the back of strong domestic lending and investment banking. For the first quarter of 2015, earnings increased a whopping 17 percent on the back of strong domestic lending and investment banking. RBC's net income for the period ending January 31 was $2.46 billion, up from $2.09 billion in 2014. On an earnings per share basis, these figures translate into $1.65/share, an increase from $1.38/share. Read more