It’s a lucrative time to be a banker, for now.
Wall Street bonuses are projected to jump for the third year in a row as market volatility fuels trading demand and dealmaking makes its long-awaited comeback. For investment bankers who advise corporate clients on deals, incentive pay is poised to be up 10% to 20% or more from a year earlier, according to Johnson Associates Inc.
Bankers who help companies raise equity are likely to see a similar bump, of as much as 20% or more, the compensation consultant said in a report Thursday. That expected increase follows a banner 2025 for Wall Street, reflecting a rebound in mergers and acquisitions helped by relaxed regulations under President Donald Trump — a trend that’s continued into the new year, with the biggest banks reporting their most profitable quarter ever for the first three months of 2026. We get more from Katherine Doherty, Bloomberg News Finance Reporter.
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Wall Street bonuses are projected to jump for the third year in a row as market volatility fuels trading demand and dealmaking makes its long-awaited comeback. For investment bankers who advise corporate clients on deals, incentive pay is poised to be up 10% to 20% or more from a year earlier, according to Johnson Associates Inc.
Bankers who help companies raise equity are likely to see a similar bump, of as much as 20% or more, the compensation consultant said in a report Thursday. That expected increase follows a banner 2025 for Wall Street, reflecting a rebound in mergers and acquisitions helped by relaxed regulations under President Donald Trump — a trend that’s continued into the new year, with the biggest banks reporting their most profitable quarter ever for the first three months of 2026. We get more from Katherine Doherty, Bloomberg News Finance Reporter.
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More on Bloomberg Television and Markets
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