For a second straight year, much of the industry will get “moderately” higher incentive payouts in coming months, according to a closely watched annual report released Monday by compensation consultant Johnson Associates Inc. Its projections for raises of as much as 20 percent show jittery markets can be hard on people who help companies execute takeovers, but not so much for stock traders and investors making long-term bets…
…“There was a lot of day-to-day stuff and that’s where these traders make money — in the volatility,” Alan Johnson, managing director of Johnson Associates, said in an interview. “It’s not like they were extremely volatile, but more so than in recent years.”…
The good times may not last. “We’re not seeing 2019 as rosy,” Johnson cautioned. The report predicts banks will probably face geopolitical turbulence and pressure to lower fees next year, while new technology eliminates jobs and makes it easier for firms to pay less.
Bloomberg / November 12, 2018