Optimism is currently sweeping across the accountancy sector, with high expectations for salary reviews and bonuses at the year-end, according to research from eFinancialCareers.com.

The research found that 11.7% of respondents are expecting salary hikes of over 25% at the next review. On the bonus front, 16.5% are anticipating bonuses between 10-20% of their base salary, with 10.7% predicting they are in line for bonuses of more than 20%.

The probable cause for this optimism is the renewed sense of confidence in the financial sector – 58.8% of the respondents feeling 2007 will be better than 2006.

Ian Brown, editor-in-chief of eFinancialCareers.com, says: “Many of our respondents work in the City of London for the investment banks, hedge funds, and private equity houses. The picture our stats are showing us is one of rapidly increasing expectations following a year of restraint in 2005. However, it would be premature for accountancy professionals to start popping any corks at this stage of the game as expectations alone do not sustain economies or pay packages.”

The survey found that 81.9% of the respondents were actively looking to change jobs. One in four sited a lack of career advancement opportunities with their current employer as their main reason for wanting to leave.