A “lab experiment” by a group of economists has found that a laissez-faire approach to bankers’ bonuses tends to encourage additional risk-taking.

The experiment, published in a recent Bank of England staff working paper, found those who were paid a straightforward bonus proportional to their investment returns – but zero for any losses – took higher risks than they would if investing their own money.

A second group was subject to a bonus cap and a third faced “malus” – the possibility of