Traditionally, the first quarter of the year is one of the most frantic for investment banks. This year, although bankers might be glad to be busy, the capital markets feeding frenzy that dominated the start of 2009 has many worrying that the best of the year might already have been and gone.

From the corporate bond market and equity capital raisings to jumbo mergers and acquisitions, the first three months of the year have kept bankers and advisers on their toes.