Goldman to cut thousands of staff as Wall Street layoffs intensify

NEW YORK: Goldman Sachs Group Inc is planning to cut thousands of employees to navigate a difficult economic environment, a source familiar with the matter said.

The layoffs are the latest sign that cuts are accelerating across Wall Street as dealmaking dries up. Investment banking revenues have plunged this year amid a slowdown in mergers and share offerings, marking a stark reversal from a blockbuster 2021 when bankers received big pay bumps.

Goldman Sachs had 49,100 employees at the end of the third quarter after adding significant numbers of staff during the pandemic. Its headcount will remain above pre-pandemic levels, the source said. The workforce stood at 38,300 at the end of 2019, according to a filing.

The bank is weighing a sharp cut to the annual bonus pool this year, a separate source familiar with the matter said. That compares with increases of 40% to 50% for top-performing investment bankers in 2021, Reuters reported in January, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter.