CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Treasury Stock	Deferred Compensation
Balance at Dec. 31, 2008	$ 98,290	$ 815	$ 236,824	$ (138,062)	$ (2,241)	$ 954
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2008		81,556,246			(1,726,754)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Shares issued in connection with the Gleacher Partners Inc. acquisition	69,231	231	69,000
Shares issued in connection with the Gleacher Partners, Inc. acquisition (in shares)	23,000,001	23,000,001
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs	94,147	160	93,987
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs (in shares)		16,000,000
Issuance of common stock for stock based compensation (in shares)	2,000,000
Common stock issued into treasury to satisfy share based compensation exercises and vesting		25			(25)
Common stock issued into treasury to satisfy share based compensation exercises and vesting (in shares)		2,500,000			(2,500,000)
Common stock issued for grants of restricted stock		20	(20)
Common stock issued for grants of restricted stock (in shares)		2,000,000
Amortization of stock-based compensation	12,436		12,436
Net tax benefits/(shortfalls) related to stock-based compensation	5,549		5,549
Issuance of treasury stock for restricted stock grants, restricted stock unit settlements and option exercises			(2,131)		2,131
Issuance of treasury stock for restricted stock grants, restricted stock unit settlements and option exercises (in shares)					3,797,453
Forfeitures of restricted stock			461		(461)
Forfeitures of restricted stock (in shares)					(103,247)
Shares withheld for minimum withholding taxes for vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and options exercises	(6,113)		(5,352)		(761)
Shares withheld for minimum withholding taxes for vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and options exercises (in shares)					(216,448)
Settlement of contingent consideration related to the American Technology Holdings, Inc. acquisition (Refer to Note 28)	525		525
Distributions of deferred compensation related to the employee stock trust			354		66	(420)
Distributions of deferred compensation related to the employee stock trust (in shares)					49,912
Net income (loss)	54,920			54,920
Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	328,985	1,251	411,633	(83,142)	(1,291)	534
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009		125,056,247			(699,084)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock for stock based compensation		59	(59)
Issuance of common stock for stock based compensation (in shares)	5,875,577	5,875,577
Common stock issued into treasury to satisfy share based compensation exercises and vesting		2			(2)
Common stock issued into treasury to satisfy share based compensation exercises and vesting (in shares)		180,719			(180,719)
Amortization of stock-based compensation	41,890		41,890
Reclassification of prior year liability classified stock-based compensation upon issuance of awards	1,499		1,499
Net tax benefits/(shortfalls) related to stock-based compensation	308		308
Issuance of treasury stock for restricted stock grants, restricted stock unit settlements and option exercises			(5,213)		5,213
Issuance of treasury stock for restricted stock grants, restricted stock unit settlements and option exercises (in shares)					2,462,846
Forfeitures of restricted stock			2,533		(2,533)
Forfeitures of restricted stock (in shares)					(1,210,560)
Shares withheld for minimum withholding taxes for vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and options exercises	(6,734)		(4,699)		(2,035)
Shares withheld for minimum withholding taxes for vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and options exercises (in shares)					(670,802)
Settlement of contingent consideration related to the American Technology Holdings, Inc. acquisition (Refer to Note 28)	1,517	3	1,514
Settlement of contingent consideration related to the American Technology Holdings, Inc. acquisition (in shares) (Refer to Note 28)		345,043
Shares reclaimed from escrow - Gleacher Partners, Inc. indemnification (Refer to Note 28)	(685)				(685)
Shares reclaimed from escrow-Gleacher Partners, Inc. indemnification (in shares)	(308,701)				(308,701)
Distributions of deferred compensation related to the employee stock trust			159		99	(258)
Distributions of deferred compensation related to the employee stock trust (in shares)					64,368
Shares returned as excess collateral from clearing broker			189		(189)
Shares returned as excess collateral from clearing broker (in shares)	(105,066)				(105,066)
Net income (loss)	(20,621)			(20,621)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	346,159	1,315	449,754	(103,763)	(1,423)	276
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010	131,457,586	131,457,586			(647,718)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Issuance of common stock for stock based compensation		22	(22)
Issuance of common stock for stock based compensation (in shares)	2,242,475	2,242,475
Purchases of treasury stock	(18,898)				(18,898)
Purchases of treasury stock (in shares)					(11,935,513)
Amortization of stock-based compensation	15,074		15,074
Reclassification of prior year liability classified stock-based compensation upon issuance of awards	12,446		12,446
Net tax benefits/(shortfalls) related to stock-based compensation	(5,480)		(5,480)
Issuance of treasury stock for restricted stock grants, restricted stock unit settlements and option exercises			(4,763)		4,763
Issuance of treasury stock for restricted stock grants, restricted stock unit settlements and option exercises (in shares)					2,401,443
Forfeitures of restricted stock			1,514		(1,514)
Forfeitures of restricted stock (in shares)					(1,055,200)
Shares withheld for minimum withholding taxes for vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and options exercises	(7,601)		(4,907)		(2,694)
Shares withheld for minimum withholding taxes for vested restricted stock, restricted stock units and options exercises (in shares)					(1,613,139)
Settlement of contingent consideration related to the American Technology Holdings, Inc. acquisition (in shares) (Refer to Note 28)		14,725
Payment of expenses to purchase treasury stock	(257)				(257)
Distributions of deferred compensation related to the employee stock trust			77		38	(115)
Distributions of deferred compensation related to the employee stock trust (in shares)					18,942
Other	(196)		(196)
Net income (loss)	(82,124)			(82,124)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 259,123	$ 1,337	$ 463,497	$ (185,887)	$ (19,985)	$ 161
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011	133,714,786	133,714,786			(12,831,185)