Weekend Economists Get a Little Drunk January 27-29, 2012

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52. Citi to Cut Bonuses in Investment Bank About 30%

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-27/citi-to-cut-bonuses-in-investment-bank-about-30-.html

Citigroup Inc. (C), the third-biggest U.S. lender by assets, cut 2011 bonuses in its investment banking division by about 30 percent on average amid slumping revenue, according to a person briefed on the matter.

Some businesses within the securities and banking unit had bonuses reduced by as much as 70 percent compared with the previous year, said the person, who asked to remain anonymous because the decisions aren’t public. The unit, led by James “Jamie” Forese, includes bond and stock trading as well as debt and equity underwriting.

Chief Executive Officer Vikram Pandit, 55, is firing workers and shrinking costs in the unit as he grapples with declining revenue. The bank said this month that it will cut about 1,200 workers from the division to save $600 million this year and more reductions may follow. The unit’s revenue slipped 21 percent since 2009, while compensation and other operating costs climbed 15 percent.

“Our 2011 revenues in certain businesses in securities and banking were disappointing and unacceptable,” Chief Financial Officer John Gerspach, 58, told analysts this week. “If we do not see meaningful revenue recovery over the course of 2012, we will further restructure securities and banking.”