52 The percentage growth in Lehman Brothers’ equities business, the investment bank’s fastest-growing sector. After slashing costs and investing in more automated trading during the lean bear market years, investment banks are now making more money from equities than ever before.
25,000,000,000 The amount in US dollars that securities firms spent on compliance in 2005, according to estimates from the Securities Industry Association. The amount is 10% up on 2004. The SIA estimates that firms in the securities industry are spending an average of about 13% of revenues on compliance-related activities.
42 The percentage of US IPO volume from financial sponsor-backed companies.