Goldman Sachs profit tops estimates on trading boom, corporate deal spree

Goldman Sachs reported quarterly profit of $6.63 billion ($20.98 per share), far exceeding analyst estimates of $14.48 EPS. Revenue surged across segments with equities trading up 72 percent at $7.42 billion, fixed income up 32 percent at $4.59 billion, and investment banking fees rising 55 percent to $3.4 billion. Shares hit a record high, up 8.3 percent, as the bank benefited from record first-half M&A volumes of $1.2 trillion in advised deals and a robust trading boom.