Bank of America Reportedly Laying Off About 3% of Capital Markets Jobs

NEW YORK — Bank of America Corp. is laying off several hundred people in its investment banking and capital markets division, about 3% of the staff, said people familiar with the matter.

The layoffs, to be concluded this week, are tied to annual reviews of personal performance and demand for business in the units, and the division has about 13,000 employees, one of these people said.

Like many investment banks, Bank of America's Merrill Lynch division has resumed the regular process of trimming weak performers and cutting staff when shifting market dynamics and customer demand leave banks with too much staff. That practice was put on the back burner during the financial markets meltdown.

However, Bank of America will have hired three times more people this year than will be laid off, one person familiar with the matter said.

Bank of America's decision to cut staff was earlier reported by Fox Business Network's Charlie Gasparino.

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