Morgan Stanley layoffs: Some investment banking jobs cut in Asia-Pacific

Morgan Stanley layoffs: Bankers based in Hong Kong and China are going to be affected the most, the report claimed.

Morgan Stanley layoffs: Morgan Stanley is cutting at least 50 investment banking jobs in Asia Pacific, news agency Reuters reported citing people in the know, becoming the latest among global banks to scale back operations in the region. The layoffs affect around 13% of the bank's Asia investment banking workforce of 400 in the region, the report added.

Morgan Stanley layoffs: A screen displays the trading information for Morgan Stanley on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City. (Reuters)

Morgan Stanley layoffs: Who will be impacted?

Bankers based in Hong Kong and China are going to be affected the most, the report claimed.

Morgan Stanley layoffs: Why are the job cuts happening?

The cuts are one the largest to Morgan Stanley's China-focused investment banking team. Similar measures have also been taken by other banks amid a decline in deal making activities in China owing to a slowing economy.

Morgan Stanley financials

Morgan Stanley reported a first quarter profit of $2.02 per share, above analysts' average estimate of $1.66. The bank's total revenue rose to $15.14 billion compared with $14.5 billion a year earlier. Investment banking revenue climbed 16% compared to the same time last year and in the Asia-Pacific region, merger and acquisition advisory fees for the bank in the first quarter dropped 41.5% to $30.4 million. The bank's equity capital markets fees were worth $68.5 million for the first quarter up 26.3% on the same quarter in 2023.

Other job cuts in the sector

In January, Bank of America laid off around 20 bankers in the Asia Pacific region, after a flurry of investment bank downsizing by UBS, Citigroup and other boutique firms.