Bank of America shares fall amid leak rumours

Shares in Bank of America, the largest US bank, fell by more than 3 per cent amid speculation it is to be Wikileaks' next target. The whistle-blowing website's founder, Julian Assange, the subject of a US criminal investigation, claimed a fresh "megaleak" will target a major US bank "early next year".

The controversial Australian told Forbes magazine that he was ready to release tens of thousands of documents that could "take down a bank or two".

Assange said the leak would "give a true and representative insight into how banks behave at the executive level in a way that will stimulate investigations and reforms, I presume".

The Forbes interview was conducted several weeks ago, before Sunday's publication of around a quarter of a million leaked US embassy cables, but had not been published.

Assange did not mention Bank of America, but in an interview last year he claimed to be in possession of the hard drive of one of the bank's executives.

Goldman Sachs were mentioned by name in the interview, but Assange did not confirm the Wall Street investment giant will be the target of the leak.