Lunchtime Links: Mega-hiring laid bare at Macquarie

Australia's Macquarie Bank also released its results today. They reveal a 15% increase in headcount over the past six months, amounting to an additional 1,900 people.

Admittedly, this is partly attributable to acquisitions: this month, Macquarie finalised the purchase of Sal Oppenheim's cash equities sales and research, equity derivatives, and equity structured products businesses, bringing on 140 staff in the process. In January, it completed the acquisition of Delaware Investments, with 583 people. In December it purchased Blackmont Capital, with another 130 people, and Fox-Pitt Kelton Cochran Caronia Waller, with another 267 people.

However, that still leaves 780 new Macquarie employees who were added organically - albeit many of them in the US. Nor does the Australian bank appear to have finished hiring yet. It plans additional acquisition and says that it wants to ramp up its debt team in Asia.

Federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into whether Goldman Sachs Group Inc. or its employees committed securities fraud in connection with its mortgage trading. (Wall Street Journal)

Lucas Van Praag is not surprised. (Washington Post)

Goldman was not betting against its clients and certainly not against its country, and you guys cannot be so dumb that you don't know that. (CNN)

Former head of Goldman's fuel-oil desk is planning a hedge fund. (BusinessWeek)

Fabrice Tourre's legal fees are being paid by Goldman. (Telegraph)

Tourre may be more dangerous to Goldman if he's cut loose. (Financial Times)

Credit Suisse hires from HSBC for leveraged finance. (BusinessWeek)

Credit Suisse poaches senior JP Morgan FIG banker. (Reuters)

Credit Suisse is replacing the CFO who championed its integrated business model. (Financial Times)

What 'The Leaders' said on banks and bonuses. (Telegraph)

Investors are objecting to Mike Geoghegan's 800k expat package. (The Times)

Jefferies has poached Mark Fox, a senior emerging markets salesman from UBS. (Financial News)

Lehman took advantage of an interpretation of the SEC disclosure rules to underreport the value of Fuld's RSUs (Are other banks doing the same?). (Bloomberg)

Fuld's perjury. (Reuters)

Obama - "I do think, that at a certain point you've made enough money." (Real Clear Politics)

Is this the most challenging job in corporate analysis? (Financial News)