Investment Banks on the Downhill Trend
http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21600992-engine-investment-banking-spluttering-ficc-and-thin

The business of investment banking has quickly taken a dive compared to what it once was. In 2009 according to the article, world investment banks earned around $142 billion. In 2013 banks brought in revenues of about half that at $74 billion. What once was a money making market has quickly fallen by almost 20% in revenues since 2009. JPMorgan Chase, an important and the worlds largest investment bank, has decreased in profits of about 21% in 2014. Citigroup, an also well known investment bank had a 18% decline in profits.

Does this mean the future for investment banks will continue to grow smaller as time progresses or is this just a cyclical effect ? According to many expert the beginning months of the year are usually the most profitable. This has not been the case in the year 2014 and worries will continue to grow as banks announce continually declining profit margins. Every bank across the globe is now required to hold more capital so it meets equilibrium with trading. This downward trend in investment banking is also causing a negative impact on the entire global economy. European investment banks are on an even more harsh decline, giving approximately five points in market share to United States investment banks in FICC plus an estimated three points this year.