Finance

Jefferies Profit Soars as Investment-Banking Momentum Builds

  • CEO says he’s ‘increasingly optimistic’ about the second half
  • Results are a good sign for bigger banks reporting next month

Jefferies headquarters in New York.

Photographer: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg
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Jefferies Financial Group Inc.’s earnings climbed as investment-banking revenue surged and debt underwriting more than doubled, adding to signs of brightening prospects for the biggest US banks.

Fiscal second-quarter investment-banking revenue jumped 59% in the three months through May, the New York-based firm said Wednesday in a statementBloomberg Terminal. Earnings totaled $145.7 million, or 64 cents a share, up from $12.4 million or 5 cents, a year earlier.