The extent to which the financial crisis has taken its toll on altruism was highlighted last night when the Robin Hood Foundation, the hedge fund industry's best-known charity, took $45m (€33m) in ordinary donations at its annual gala dinner last night, a drop on the previous year's takings for the second year in a row.

The charity took $17.3m from ticket sales - seats at table were sold for up to $5,000 each - and $27.7m in donations, according to Bloomberg. This total of $45m compares with $57m last year and $71m the year before, a record amount.