Wall Street bonuses fell 26% in 2022, the largest drop since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, as New York state and city officials dial back their expectations for the economic impact of the securities industry. While many people bemoan the salaries commanded by the Big Apple’s white-shoe bankers, the financial sector provides an economic boost to city and state budgets, helping to find public services that touch the lives of residents.
Now, with the banking sector absorbing the impact of the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in recent weeks and of a lack of investment bank deal-making, 2023 isn’t looking particularly strong. The current malaise may signal what’s in store for bonuses and employment in the coming year. Rahul Jain, state deputy comptroller, said state and city official are baking in conservative projections for a decline in Wall Street profits and bonuses in 2023 partly because much remains unknown such as when the Fed will pause its interest rate hikes or possibly cut them. “What we can’t tell is what the Fed will do with interest rates,” Jain told MarketWatch. “It doesn’t seem like we’ll return to the levels of 2020 and 202 …