Hedge fund professionals are anticipating bonus increases of 65% in January 2025, according to data from financial services careers platform eFinancialCareers, with the expected bonus growth exceeding the global average by over 15%.
Globally, bonuses are projected to rise by 50% year-on-year on average.
This optimism extends across the buy-side, which includes firms like asset management companies and pension funds that focus on acquiring and holding securities for investment purposes.
Across the financial professional sector, private credit funds are the most optimistic, with 91.3% forecasting bonus increases, while traditional asset managers are the least optimistic, expecting increases of just 26.6%.
In the UK, bonuses are set to outpace other regions, bolstered by the relaxation of the bonus cap. UK professionals predict a 43% increase, surpassing Europe at 40% and North America at 38%.
Meanwhile, the Gulf region emerges as the most optimistic overall, with financial service professionals expecting bonuses to soar by 78% compared to 2024.
