US investment banks plunge as Trump's tariffs cloud capital markets

Houlihan Lokey

03/04/2025 17:09

** Shares of U.S. investment banks plunge after President Donald Trump stokes trade war by unleashing sweeping tariffs on U.S. imports

** Evercore EVR.N and Lazard LAZ.N plunge ~13% each, while Jefferies JEF.N falls 12.4%

** Moelis MC.N falls 11.3%, Piper Sandler PIPR.N down 10.7%

** Stifel Financial SF.N, Perella Weinberg Partners PWP.O, PJT Partners PJT.N and Houlihan Lokey HLI.N down 10.2%, 8.5%, 6.8%, and 7%, respectively

** High macroeconomic uncertainty has impacted dealmaking conditions and fueled concerns around the sustainability of an investment banking rebound

** Recovery in deal activity set to be pushed out amid market volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty

** Morgan Stanley Research remains slightly optimistic, says investment banking started off weak this year but deal closings accelerated at Q1 end

** Says we are now at least moving past peak uncertainty for companies planning deals

(Reporting by Arasu Kannagi Basil in Bengaluru)

((ArasuKannagi.Basil@thomsonreuters.com;))