Equity Method Investments	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Equity Method Investment, Financial Statement, Reported Amounts [Abstract]
Equity Method Investments	19. Equity Method Investments. The Company has investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting (see Note 1) of $4,428 million and $4,524 million at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, included in Other investments in the condensed consolidated statements of financial condition. Income (losses) from these investments for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2012 were $12 million and $(20) million, respectively, and are included in Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statements of income. Losses from these investments for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2011 were $65 million and $725 million, respectively, and are included in Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The losses for 2011 included the loss related to the Company's 40% stake in MUMSS, as described below. See Note 24 to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2011 included in the Form 10-K for further information. Huaxin Securities Joint Venture. In June 2011, the Company and Huaxin Securities Co., Ltd. (“Huaxin Securities”) (also known as China Fortune Securities Co., Ltd.) jointly announced the operational commencement of their securities joint venture in China. During the quarter ended June 30, 2011, the Company recorded initial costs of $130 million related to the formation of this joint venture in Other expenses in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The joint venture, Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities Company Limited, is registered and principally located in Shanghai. Huaxin Securities holds a two-thirds interest in the joint venture while the Company owns a one-third interest. The establishment of the joint venture allows the Company to further build on its established onshore businesses in China. The joint venture's business includes underwriting and sponsorship of shares in the domestic China market (including A shares and foreign investment shares), as well as underwriting, sponsorship and principal trading of bonds (including government and corporate bonds). Japanese Securities Joint Venture On May 1, 2010, the Company and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (“MUFG”) formed a joint venture in Japan of their respective investment banking and securities businesses. MUFG and the Company have integrated their respective Japanese securities companies by forming two joint venture companies. MUFG contributed the investment banking, wholesale and retail securities businesses conducted in Japan by Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co., Ltd. into Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd. (“MUMSS”). The Company contributed the investment banking operations conducted in Japan by its subsidiary MSMS, formerly known as Morgan Stanley Japan Securities Co., Ltd., into MUMSS (MSMS, together with MUMSS, the “Joint Venture”). MSMS will continue its sales and trading and capital markets business conducted in Japan. Following the respective contributions to the Joint Venture and a cash payment of 23 billion yen ($247 million), from MUFG to the Company, the Company owns a 40% economic interest in the Joint Venture and MUFG owns a 60% economic interest in the Joint Venture. The Company holds a 40% voting interest and MUFG holds a 60% voting interest in MUMSS, while the Company holds a 51% voting interest and MUFG holds a 49% voting interest in MSMS. The Company continues to consolidate MSMS in its condensed consolidated financial statements and, commencing on May 1, 2010, accounted for its interest in MUMSS as an equity method investment within the Institutional Securities business segment. During the quarter ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the Company recorded income (loss) of $54 million and $(17) million, respectively, and income (loss) of $81 million and $(672) million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, within Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statements of income, arising from the Company's 40% stake in MUMSS. In order to enhance the risk management at MUMSS, during the six months ended June 30, 2011, the Company entered into a transaction with MUMSS whereby the risk associated with the fixed income trading positions that previously caused the majority of the aforementioned MUMSS losses in 2011 was transferred to MSMS. In return for entering into the transaction, the Company received total consideration of $659 million, which represented the estimated fair value of the fixed income trading positions transferred. To the extent that losses incurred by MUMSS result in a requirement to restore its capital, MUFG is solely responsible for providing this additional capital to a minimum level and the Company is not obligated to contribute additional capital to MUMSS. Because of losses incurred by MUMSS, MUFG contributed approximately $370 million of capital to MUMSS on April 22, 2011. The MUFG capital injection improved the capital base and restored the capital adequacy ratio of MUMSS. As a result of this capital injection, during the quarter ended June 30, 2011, the Company recorded an increase of approximately $148 million in the carrying amount of the equity method investment in MUMSS, reflecting the Company's 40% share of the increase in the net asset value of MUMSS, and an increase in the Company's Paid-in capital of approximately $86 million (after-tax). FrontPoint. On March 1, 2011, the Company and the principals of FrontPoint Partners LLC (“FrontPoint”) completed a transaction whereby FrontPoint senior management and portfolio managers own a majority equity stake in FrontPoint, and the Company retained a minority stake. FrontPoint has replaced the Company's affiliates as the investment advisor and general partner of the FrontPoint funds. The investment in FrontPoint is recorded within the Asset Management business segment. Prior to March 1, 2011, the Company consolidated FrontPoint. The Company recorded a loss of approximately $20 million related to the writedown of the minority stake investment in FrontPoint for the quarter ended June 30, 2011. The loss was included in Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statement of income.

Equity Method Investments

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Equity Method Investment, Financial Statement, Reported Amounts [Abstract]

19. Equity Method Investments.

The Company has investments accounted for under the equity method of accounting (see Note 1) of $4,428 million and $4,524 million at June 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, respectively, included in Other investments in the condensed consolidated statements of financial condition. Income (losses) from these investments for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2012 were $12 million and $(20) million, respectively, and are included in Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statements of income. Losses from these investments for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2011 were $65 million and $725 million, respectively, and are included in Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The losses for 2011 included the loss related to the Company's 40% stake in MUMSS, as described below. See Note 24 to the consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2011 included in the Form 10-K for further information.

Huaxin Securities Joint Venture.

In June 2011, the Company and Huaxin Securities Co., Ltd. (“Huaxin Securities”) (also known as China Fortune Securities Co., Ltd.) jointly announced the operational commencement of their securities joint venture in China. During the quarter ended June 30, 2011, the Company recorded initial costs of $130 million related to the formation of this joint venture in Other expenses in the condensed consolidated statements of income. The joint venture, Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities Company Limited, is registered and principally located in Shanghai. Huaxin Securities holds a two-thirds interest in the joint venture while the Company owns a one-third interest. The establishment of the joint venture allows the Company to further build on its established onshore businesses in China. The joint venture's business includes underwriting and sponsorship of shares in the domestic China market (including A shares and foreign investment shares), as well as underwriting, sponsorship and principal trading of bonds (including government and corporate bonds).

Japanese Securities Joint Venture

On May 1, 2010, the Company and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (“MUFG”) formed a joint venture in Japan of their respective investment banking and securities businesses. MUFG and the Company have integrated their respective Japanese securities companies by forming two joint venture companies. MUFG contributed the investment banking, wholesale and retail securities businesses conducted in Japan by Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Co., Ltd. into Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities Co., Ltd. (“MUMSS”). The Company contributed the investment banking operations conducted in Japan by its subsidiary MSMS, formerly known as Morgan Stanley Japan Securities Co., Ltd., into MUMSS (MSMS, together with MUMSS, the “Joint Venture”). MSMS will continue its sales and trading and capital markets business conducted in Japan. Following the respective contributions to the Joint Venture and a cash payment of 23 billion yen ($247 million), from MUFG to the Company, the Company owns a 40% economic interest in the Joint Venture and MUFG owns a 60% economic interest in the Joint Venture.

The Company holds a 40% voting interest and MUFG holds a 60% voting interest in MUMSS, while the Company holds a 51% voting interest and MUFG holds a 49% voting interest in MSMS. The Company continues to consolidate MSMS in its condensed consolidated financial statements and, commencing on May 1, 2010, accounted for its interest in MUMSS as an equity method investment within the Institutional Securities business segment. During the quarter ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, the Company recorded income (loss) of $54 million and $(17) million, respectively, and income (loss) of $81 million and $(672) million for the six months ended June 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, within Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statements of income, arising from the Company's 40% stake in MUMSS.

In order to enhance the risk management at MUMSS, during the six months ended June 30, 2011, the Company entered into a transaction with MUMSS whereby the risk associated with the fixed income trading positions that previously caused the majority of the aforementioned MUMSS losses in 2011 was transferred to MSMS. In return for entering into the transaction, the Company received total consideration of $659 million, which represented the estimated fair value of the fixed income trading positions transferred.

To the extent that losses incurred by MUMSS result in a requirement to restore its capital, MUFG is solely responsible for providing this additional capital to a minimum level and the Company is not obligated to contribute additional capital to MUMSS. Because of losses incurred by MUMSS, MUFG contributed approximately $370 million of capital to MUMSS on April 22, 2011. The MUFG capital injection improved the capital base and restored the capital adequacy ratio of MUMSS. As a result of this capital injection, during the quarter ended June 30, 2011, the Company recorded an increase of approximately $148 million in the carrying amount of the equity method investment in MUMSS, reflecting the Company's 40% share of the increase in the net asset value of MUMSS, and an increase in the Company's Paid-in capital of approximately $86 million (after-tax).

FrontPoint.

On March 1, 2011, the Company and the principals of FrontPoint Partners LLC (“FrontPoint”) completed a transaction whereby FrontPoint senior management and portfolio managers own a majority equity stake in FrontPoint, and the Company retained a minority stake. FrontPoint has replaced the Company's affiliates as the investment advisor and general partner of the FrontPoint funds. The investment in FrontPoint is recorded within the Asset Management business segment. Prior to March 1, 2011, the Company consolidated FrontPoint. The Company recorded a loss of approximately $20 million related to the writedown of the minority stake investment in FrontPoint for the quarter ended June 30, 2011. The loss was included in Other revenues in the condensed consolidated statement of income.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for equity investment, or group of investments, for which combined disclosure is appropriate, including: (a) the name of each investee and percentage of ownership of common stock, (b) accounting policies for investments in common stock, (c) difference between the amount at which the investment is carried and the amount of underlying equity in net assets and the accounting treatment of the difference, (d) the total fair value of each identified investment for which a market value is available, (e) summarized information as to assets, liabilities, and results of operations of the investees (for investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries, common stock of joint ventures, or other investments using the equity method), and (f) material effects of possible conversions, exercises, or contingent issuances of the investee. Other disclosures include (a) the names of any investee in which the investor owns 20 percent or more of the voting stock and investment is not accounted for using the equity method, and the reasons why not, and (b) the names of any investee in which the investor owns less than 20 percent of the voting stock and the investment is accounted for using the equity method, and the reasons why it is.

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