At the IMF meeting in Washington over the weekend, the coalition government’s anti-bonus culture rhetoric was notched up a level with Chancellor George Osborne’s speech against the City’s lavish compensation culture. But despite the government’s hardline stance, jittery markets and the dawning of tougher regulation, bankers have shown it takes a lot more to dampen their spirits.

A survey of 235 financial services professionals in the capital found that an overwhelming majority, 88%, expect to receive bonuses in 2010/11 with almost three-quarters expecting compensation will be up to 30% of their base salary.