Top Wall Street firms slash bonuses

Political pressure sees $10b drop in compensation below estimates

NEW YORK: Goldman Sachs Group Inc, Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan Chase & Co's investment bank slashed their compensation in the fourth quarter, responding to political pressure that will probably persist as details of bonuses for their top executives emerge in coming weeks.

The three Wall Street firms set aside $39.9 billion for pay in 2009, below the 2007 record of $44.7 billion. The total fell short of the $46.1 billion five analysts expected this month and is almost $10 billion less than what some analysts estimated in October.