Bankers at Dresdner Kleinwort and Merrill Lynch will today find out their bonus for this year in what will be the last time the banks make the payments to staff before coming under new ownership.

Today's bonus payouts by the banks will be the last to many staff as substantial job cuts are expected at Dresdner Kleinwort and Merrill Lynch in 2009, when Commerzbank and Bank of America complete their takeovers.