Lunchtime Links: Casting aspersions on Nomura's international investment banking aspirations

Despite its recent disappointing results, Nomura is persisting with its intention of becoming a truly global investment banking player.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Nomura's hired no fewer than five MDs for its natural resources business in the US, and is opening new offices in Toronto and Houston.

At this time of the year, those senior hires - none of whom were out of the market - won't have come cheaply. It doesn't bode well that questions are already being raised about the viability of Nomura's expansion.

Analysts at JPMorgan have downgraded Nomura on the grounds that it's likely to make a loss at its overseas businesses in its second quarter. Thanks to falling trading revenues, they predict that a 27bn yen profit in the three months to September 2009 will turn into an 18bn yen loss in the three months to September 2010.

The WSJ points out that Deutsche and Credit Suisse took more than a decade to break into the US market. Can Nomura really afford to wait another nine years?

Deutsche to kill two birds with one cash call. (Reuters)

Deutsche shares dive. (Sharecast)

Citigroup's advice to its female HR staff. (DavidXia)

Goldman could have had a big fine or 'withering critique' of its HR practices; it went for the fine. (Financial Times)

26 year old female M&A banker at UBS drowns during company organised trip to Spain. (Wall Street Journal)

Now that trading is concentrated at the beginning and end of sessions, it's possible to do nothing for most of the day. (Wall Street Journal)

Investment bankers will have to pay more for degrees. (Guardian)

Where do graduates end up doing unskilled work? And earning most? (Economist)

Success is mostly about hard work. (Opinionator)

Scientific guide to sexy dancing for men. (Reuters)