This year may not emerge as one of the greatest years for investment banking but it is likely to see the perpetuation of at least one positive trend – rising graduate recruitment.

If banks increase graduate intakes in 2005 as forecast, numbers should rise more than 20% this year. This follows an increase of some 40% in 2004. Could it be that banks, long known for increasing graduate hiring when times are good and cutting back vigorously when times are bad, are finally on a steady upwards trajectory?