Pension and other postretirement employee benefit plans (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Components of net periodic benefit costs reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income

The following table presents the components of net periodic benefit costs reported in the Consolidated Statements of Income for the Firm’s U.S. and non-U.S. defined benefit pension, defined contribution and OPEB plans.

	Pension plans
	U.S.						Non-U.S.						OPEB plans
Three months ended September 30, (in millions)	2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
Components of net periodic benefit cost
Benefits earned during the period	$	85		$	70		$	9		$	8		$	—		$	—
Interest cost on benefit obligations	125			133			28			34			8			9
Expected return on plan assets	(232		)	(247		)	(38		)	(42		)	(27		)	(25		)
Amortization:
Net (gain)/loss	62			6			9			12			—			—
Prior service cost/(credit)	(9		)	(9		)	—			(1		)	—			—
Net periodic defined benefit cost	31			(47		)	8			11			(19		)	(16		)
Other defined benefit pension plans(a)	3			3			2			2			NA			NA
Total defined benefit plans	34			(44		)	10			13			(19		)	(16		)
Total defined contribution plans	119			115			85			87			NA			NA
Total pension and OPEB cost included in compensation expense	$	153		$	71		$	95		$	100		$	(19	)	$	(16	)
	Pension plans
	U.S.						Non-U.S.						OPEB plans
Nine months ended September 30, (in millions)	2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
Components of net periodic benefit cost
Benefits earned during the period	$	255		$	210		$	28		$	25		$	—		$	—
Interest cost on benefit obligations	375			401			84			104			24			27
Expected return on plan assets	(697		)	(739		)	(113		)	(131		)	(80		)	(75		)
Amortization:
Net (gain)/loss	185			19			27			36			—			—
Prior service cost/(credit)	(26		)	(31		)	(1		)	(1		)	—			—
Net periodic defined benefit cost	92			(140		)	25			33			(56		)	(48		)
Other defined benefit pension plans(a)	10			10			7			5			NA			NA
Total defined benefit plans	102			(130		)	32			38			(56		)	(48		)
Total defined contribution plans	323			333			254			254			NA			NA
Total pension and OPEB cost included in compensation expense	$	425		$	203		$	286		$	292		$	(56	)	$	(48	)

(a) Includes various defined benefit pension plans which are individually immaterial.