Who were the banking job winners this year?

With the difficulties of the global financial crisis rumbling on over the course of 2009, this year may well have presented some problems for those looking for finance jobs in London - whether they are a recent graduate looking to take their first steps in the employment market or an experienced banker searching for a new banking job in the City.

However, it has not been all doom and gloom - and with some signs of recovery in certain sectors - one publication notes that 2009 has in fact proven to be a good year for some.

Indeed, eFinancialCareers points out that over the past 12 months London has become an increasing focal point for high frequency trading, in which it has gained mainstream recognition. Acknowledging a report from the Financial Times, it was suggested that such a model now accounts for some 70 per cent of all daily US equity trading, compared to 30 per cent seen several years ago.

And those who may have been searching for trade support jobs could well have found there were a multitude of hiring opportunities, with numerous banks looking to increase the number of such workers they take on.

Meanwhile, those on the search for banking jobs in 2009 could have also seen that there were opportunities for high yield staff, particularly from banks such as HSBC, UBS and Bank of America. The publication notes that despite "the degree of risk aversion permeating the market at the start of the year", investor demand for high yield bonds surged as 2009 progressed.

This growth was partially attributed to uncertainty over the equities rally and low interest rates, while the difficulties experienced in accessing bank loans saw European corporates attempt to gain funding through the high yield market.

Of course, one of the major headlines this year - not just within the financial services industry but on a wider scale - has been the issue of bankers' bonuses, which in some cases have been deemed to be excessive.

And while the government is currently looking to introduce a tax on such payments, eFinancialCareers notes that it has been "a good year" for fixed salaries. Indeed, as bonuses are curtailed, the publication states that several banks opted to increase basic pay rates for staff.

Among those opting to hike wages - sometimes by as much as 100 per cent for some senior workers - were Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Citigroup and Barclays Capital.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs revealed earlier this month that its management committee would receive no cash bonuses and any additional payments would be given out in the form of shares, which would divest over a number of years.

There have also been reports of an increase in the availability of finance jobs being offered by boutiques, while hiring within the cash equities was deemed earlier this year to be, "hotter than at any time in living memory". Indeed, Barclays Capital, ICAP and Nomura were deemed to be among those making major employment strides in such a sector.

But this is not only year that equity traders - and those searching for such roles - have had success. Indeed, an article published by the news resource last year notes that "2008 was the year of the equities desk". And as equity trading revenues increased throughout the year and commissions at Goldman Sachs rose by more than 9.1 per cent between the third and fourth quarters of 2008, it was deemed volatility traders performed particularly well.

As 2009 draws to a close, 2010 could well offer a whole host of opportunities for people searching for banking jobs in London, whether people are after greater financial rewards, more responsibility or simply a change of scenery.

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