Morgan Stanley Lays Off 2,500 Employees

Morgan Stanley, a leading global investment bank, has laid off approximately 2,500 employees, representing about 3 percent of its worldwide workforce of around 83,000. The reductions, which began last week, affect staff in investment banking, trading, wealth management, and investment management divisions across U.S. and international offices. Financial advisors, a critical part of the wealth management operations, remain unaffected.

The job cuts stem from strategic workforce adjustments, evaluations of individual performance, and shifts in business priorities and location strategies. Company representatives have indicated that these changes aim to realign resources, with plans to hire in select areas even as headcount decreases elsewhere. A spokesperson for the New York-based firm stated that the company routinely assesses staffing to match evolving business needs, though specifics on the layoffs were not confirmed publicly.

Despite the reductions, Morgan Stanley reported exceptional financial results for 2025, achieving record annual revenue of $70.6 billion. In the fourth quarter, the bank surpassed profit expectations, driven by a 47 percent increase in investment banking...