While bonus expectations remain relatively high, research from eFinancialCareers.com has revealed 40.8 per cent of the capital's investment bankers expect business to remain on a downward curve into 2008.
By comparison, only 31.8 per cent of US bankers predict a deterioration on the same scale next year.
The most optimistic banking types are located in the Gulf, where a mere 12.3 per cent expect a downturn in 2008 and 69.3 per cent are confident that next year will be better than this one. Hong Kong and Singapore-based bankers are also relatively upbeat, with 40.5 per cent and 41.6 per cent respectively forecasting a better 2008.
Sarah Butcher, editor of eFinancialCareers.com, commented: “The relative despondency of UK bankers perhaps should come as no surprise given the recent events and the report last week that the NYSE and Nasdaq are set to raise more money via IPOs than the London Stock Exchange and AIM for the first time in three years.”
