# Morgan Stanley posts record profit with equities trading surge The firm announced record revenue and profit in Q2 driven by a 69% jump in equities trading. - **Source:** [US Top News and Analysis](https://brifing.si/source/635540e9-943e-450d-ae52-ae0bfe3b67eb) - **Published:** 2026-07-15 - **Topic:** [Finance](https://brifing.si/c/finance) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/ed55d21f-383e-48ae-aa25-018878e184c4 ## Record-Breaking Quarter Morgan Stanley achieved record revenue and profit in Q2 2024, with equities trading surging 69%. Net profit rose 58% year-over-year to $5.58 billion, while revenue increased 27% to $21.35 billion. These results significantly exceeded analyst expectations across all key metrics. ## Equities Trading Boom Morgan Stanley's equities trading revenue hit a record $6.3 billion, surpassing analyst estimates by approximately $1.9 billion. The firm cited strong performance across its equities franchise, with notable strength in Asian markets contributing significantly to these outstanding results. ## Investment Banking Revival Investment banking revenues surged 58% to $2.44 billion, driven by increased M&A activity, IPOs, and rising debt issuance. Morgan Stanley outperformed analyst expectations by $270 million, reinforcing its strong position in the competitive investment banking landscape. ## Wealth Management Growth The firm's massive wealth management division saw revenues grow 14% to $8.86 billion, exceeding estimates by $146 million. Rising stock markets, increased deposits, and lending activities fueled this growth, demonstrating the division's resilience in volatile market conditions. ## Steady Fixed Income Performance Fixed income trading revenue increased 13% to $2.46 billion, essentially matching consensus estimates. Strong credit trading results contributed to this balanced performance, with the firm maintaining consistent execution across all three geographic regions. ## Future Outlook and Challenges Morgan Stanley shares rose about 1% in premarket trading. CEO Ted Pick will address analysts' questions about the firm's outlook amid elevated geopolitical tensions. Market participants are particularly interested in the sustainability of the AI-driven trading boom that fueled these record results. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/15/morgan-stanley-ms-earnings-q2-2026-.html — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._