Wall Street profits hit $45.9bn in first half as industry tracks record $90bn year
US securities firms made $45.9bn in the first half of 2026, up 51.3% on a year ago, putting Wall Street on course for a record year above $90bn, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli reports.
Wall Street is on course for a record year after US securities firms made $45.9bn in the first half of 2026, according to a report released on Tuesday by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
Profits surged 51.3 per cent from a year earlier, driven by a revival in dealmaking, strong trading revenue fuelled by market volatility, resilient loan growth and a resurgent IPO market. If the pace holds, full-year profits could exceed $90bn — outpacing even the inflation-adjusted record set in 2009, the report said.
The half-year haul follows a record $65.1bn in 2025, itself up more than 30 per cent on the prior year.
DiNapoli’s report underlines the industry’s weight in New York City’s finances: securities firms contributed at least $7.8bn to the city’s budget in fiscal 2026, up 15.8 per cent on a year ago, while supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs.
The figures land as a tech-led rally pushes US equities to record highs, with the Nasdaq closing at a fresh peak overnight and third-quarter earnings season about to begin.
Sources: Reuters (6 Oct 2026); The Straits Times (6 Oct 2026, Nasdaq record close); Business Standard (6 Oct 2026, earnings season).
More on this topic: all Business stories
