According to individuals familiar with the matter, Morgan Stanley has increased bonuses for its Asia-based staff by approximately 20%, following a year where the region's revenue neared $100 billion, setting a new record.
They stated that significant growth in equity trading, prime brokerage, and wealth management businesses propelled the region's revenue surge. The investment banking and capital markets divisions also staged a strong comeback, with fee income from equity sales and mergers and acquisitions approaching $10 billion, the highest level in years. The sources requested anonymity as the data is not public.
The record revenue in Asia translated into substantial bonuses for traders and bankers. Overall, investment bankers received bonus increases of 15% to 20% for the year, the people said, while traders and product specialists in the institutional equities division saw even higher raises, with top performers receiving increases of at least 30%.
High-performing managing directors with responsibility for specific countries or hot sectors such as technology are expected to receive total compensation, including bonuses, of $2 million to $2.5 million, they added. They also noted that the average compensation of $1 million to $1.5 million presents a stark contrast to 2024, when approximately one-fifth of managing directors received zero bonuses.
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