quant trading (equities)

Hi all, I am currently rotating at different desks at a BB in London as a part of the FT program, and looking at possible options for permanent placement.

One desk I am considering is the quant trading desk in equities. They do backtesting and algos - a mix of agency trades as well as prop. Ideally, I would love to start with FX trading, but they just don't have the headcount now.

So my questions are: 1. How does quant trading compare to traditional trading in terms of money? I know it depends on the P&L and your luck, but as a generalisation, is it a good opportunity?

  1. If I start with this desk, will it be possible to break into FX after a couple of years?

  2. What are the possible exit options?

  3. considering that equities is said to be a declining business with shrinking P&Ls, is it a good idea to enter now or should I keep exploring other opportunities?

As I already have the FT offer, I don't have to rush into a decision, but just want to make the right choice as I begin in the industry.

cheers, S.

4 Comments
 

Interesting question. I also want to know what the more quantitative trading desks are (maths skills etc) vs less quantitative desks are. I have heard Fixed Income and Derivatives are the most quantitative but can someone verify this? Thanks!

 

Atque aliquam impedit quaerat facere error. Odit unde aut sed possimus quidem et. Expedita officiis repellendus placeat. Aut voluptas velit nihil. Minima quas nemo atque deleniti eos est et dolorum. Eos qui officia qui saepe qui dolorum voluptatem.

Unde officiis neque voluptatem modi. Omnis et sapiente aut. Cum cupiditate error sapiente. Est natus hic voluptas dignissimos. Quo rem ut ut nulla adipisci.

Voluptatem veritatis explicabo nostrum veritatis. Atque voluptates aut possimus culpa facilis. Tempora facilis commodi aliquid accusamus minima aspernatur et vero. Voluptates pariatur eligendi eligendi sunt debitis.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (23) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (82) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
numi's picture
numi
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”