Financiers manipulating a stern benchmark (8,7)

I believe the answer is:

merchant bankers

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'financiers' is the definition.
I know nothing about this answer so I cannot tell whether it can be defined by this definition.

'manipulating a stern benchmark' is the wordplay.
'manipulating' is an anagram indicator (I've seen this in other clues).
'a'+'stern'+'benchmark'='asternbenchmark'
'asternbenchmark' is an anagram of 'MERCHANT BANKERS'.

Can you help me to learn more?

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.

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