“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
So begins Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. While
banking and capital market firms still have some ways
to go, and thus this quote may not be true in the literal
sense, industry leaders are looking forward to a better
year ahead.
The good news is that the economy is showing some
signs of life: balance sheets are stabilizing and consumer
confidence is trending toward the positive. Revenues
have also picked up in certain sectors, and credit
availability is easing.
That said, next year will likely be one of continued
challenge for industry executives. Margins are under
extreme pressure, and business models and product
structures are becoming more standardized, mortgages
and derivatives being two examples. And regulatory
concerns have shifted, from uncertainty over direction to
uncertainty over long-term outcomes.
As firms begin to pivot toward growth, they will be
challenged to remain relevant to their clients, realign
business models, adjust to recent regulations, and
attempt to innovate for growth. Firms will also continue
to make strategic decisions, driven by capital constraints
and demands for improved return on equity, divesting or
acquiring in areas where they believe they can compete
and win. We are seeing some renewed interest in
innovation as well. Overall, banks and capital market firms
will need to drive increased agility into their operations to
take advantage of the ongoing uncertainty in the market,
rather than simply waiting for more stable conditions to
emerge
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”
So begins Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. While
banking and capital market firms still have some ways
to go, and thus this quote may not be true in the literal
sense, industry leaders are looking forward to a better
year ahead.
The good news is that the economy is showing some
signs of life: balance sheets are stabilizing and consumer
confidence is trending toward the positive. Revenues
have also picked up in certain sectors, and credit
availability is easing.
That said, next year will likely be one of continued
challenge for industry executives. Margins are under
extreme pressure, and business models and product
structures are becoming more standardized, mortgages
and derivatives being two examples. And regulatory
concerns have shifted, from uncertainty over direction to
uncertainty over long-term outcomes.
As firms begin to pivot toward growth, they will be
challenged to remain relevant to their clients, realign
business models, adjust to recent regulations, and
attempt to innovate for growth. Firms will also continue
to make strategic decisions, driven by capital constraints
and demands for improved return on equity, divesting or
acquiring in areas where they believe they can compete
and win. We are seeing some renewed interest in
innovation as well. Overall, banks and capital market firms
will need to drive increased agility into their operations to
take advantage of the ongoing uncertainty in the market,
rather than simply waiting for more stable conditions to
emerge
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