Wall Street's first-half profits rocketed 82% to their highest since 2009

Wall Street stands empty as people stay away from the area due to the coronavirus on March 30, 2020 in New York City.
Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesNew York's securities industry notched its largest first-half profit since 2009 due to sharp increases in trading and underwriting activity, New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in a Thursday report.Pretax profits through the first six months of the year surged 82% to $27.6 billion. Underwriting revenues hit a record of $10.4 billion in the s