Bond Boom Fizzles Out Amidst Uncertainty; Low Volumes

"When the Federal Reserve signalled that it would begin to raise interest rates, it changed the story. Since then there hasn't been a clear path," he said.

Major bond investors got burned by this turn of events and while their initial reaction was to instruct the banks to switch their portfolios -- prompting a rise in trading fees -- they are now reluctant to take big bets.

Joshi says the long-run trend for low inflation and low interest rates is about to reassert itself. This might mean a few more fees for the bank's bond departments as asset managers adjust their holdings again. But in the longer term, it means a loss of business as investors go back to just holding long-term positions.