Morgan Stanley Hikes London Banker Bonuses by up to 15%

Morgan Stanley has increased bonuses for London investment bankers by 10-15% as Wall Street investment banks kick off what is expected to be a bumper year for compensation.   In the bonuses paid in 2025, Morgan Stanley increased payouts for European bankers by 20-25%, Financial News reported. This followed a reduction of 10-15% a year earlier. …

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Ho Ho Ho, It’s Bonus Season! Are You Getting a Lump of Gold or Coal?

While 2025 isn’t expected to be that disappointing, it could be rather ho-hum, with bonuses, on average, expected to rise 2.5% to 5%, according to consulting firm Johnson Associates. Last year, insurance workers were expecting increases of about 5% to 10%, on average.  At property and casualty insurers, bonuses are expected to be 3% to 5% higher, based…

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Lower Bonuses Await US Corporate Debt Traders: Credit Weekly

With bonus season just a few months away, corporate bond traders are one of the few groups on Wall Street expected to see their overall compensation slip for this year.  Overall pay for US traders in the investment-grade bond market is expected to fall by 6.6%, while compensation in the high-yield market is seen dropping…

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Big Pay, Bigger Influence: How Wall Street’s War for AI Talent is Shaping New Power Dynamics

The hottest job on Wall Street right now isn’t a trader or dealmaker. It belongs to the human minds who specialize in building the digital ones.  Recruiters and executives across financial services companies told Business Insider the result is a full-blown talent war pitting Wall Street banks against hedge funds, private asset managers, and Silicon Valley startups.  The senior-level…

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Wall Street Bonuses are Set to Surge, from Trading Floors to M&A Desks 

Year-end bonuses are projected to rise across nearly every business line, according to a new report released Wednesday by compensation consultancy Johnson Associates, with traders being the big winners — who could see up to 25% increases — followed by mergers advisors and wealth managers. Only a handful of sectors, like real estate and venture capital, were…

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Don’t be Swayed by the Secondary Market’s 10% Bonus Bump

As private market professionals eagerly await year-end bonuses, a top Wall Street compensation consultant warns against chasing the biggest annual payout.  For the second consecutive year, secondaries fund managers will receive bonuses that are 10% or higher than last year, while private equity and venture capital bonuses will be mostly flat, according to new data…

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Wall Street Bankers Will Get Bonus Bonanza for Second Straight Year, Top Consultancy Says 

Wall Streeters’ bonuses are set to grow for the second straight year, fueled by a rebound in trading and advisory revenues, rising stock markets and a strong finish to 2025, according to a new report from compensation consulting firm Johnson Associates.  Despite this year’s optimism, Johnson warned that firms are entering 2026 with “measured caution”…

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Investment Banks Fear Dealmaker Exodus Despite 15% Bonus Hike

Investment banks are braced for an exodus of senior dealmakers next year, even though a rebound in M&A this year is likely to see bonuses rise by 15%.  A second-half bounce for M&A work has seen bonus expectations reverse from a negative outlook to potential rises of 10-15%, according to new analysis by Wall Street…

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Wall Street Bonuses Projected to Jump for Second Straight Year

Wall Street bonuses are projected to jump for the second year in a row as market volatility fuels trading demand and dealmaking makes its long-awaited comeback.  Investment bankers, traders and wealth-management professionals are all poised to see increases in their year-end incentive pay, according to a report Wednesday from compensation consultant Johnson Associates Inc. Equity…

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