Happy Days Are Here Again (For the Masters of the Universe)

Posted by Digby, Hullabaloo at 4:31 PM on June 24, 2009.

Happy days are here again ...

... for the masters of the universe anyway:
 

Citigroup Inc., the U.S. bank that got $45 billion of government funds, will raise base salaries by as much as 50 percent to help compensate for a reduction in annual bonuses, a person familiar with the plan said.

The biggest increases will go to investment bankers and traders, said the person who declined to be identified. Workers in consumer banking, credit cards, legal and risk management will see smaller salary adjustments. The New York-based company also plans to award stock options to try to keep employees after Citigroup’s market value plummeted 84 percent in the past year.

Citigroup joins Morgan Stanley and UBS AG in boosting salaries for executives and employees. Morgan Stanley said last month it will increase base pay for many of the New York-based firm’s top executives and double the pay of Chief Financial Officer Colm Kelleher.

“Citi continues to examine ways to ensure its employee compensation practices are competitive in this very challenging market environment,” Citigroup spokesman Stephen Cohen said yesterday, declining further comment.

Right. Because apparently there is a bidding war going on for all those traders and investment bankers who tanked the economy. Talk about failing up. Meanwhile the people in credit and risk management aren't quite as much in demand.

The markets are fully functioning again. Let the next bubble begin. Tulips have been done. How about arugula?

Tagged as: economy, crisis, wall street, executive pay, raises

Digby is the proprietor of Hullabaloo.