Nice interactive map showing the worldwide impacts. FT.com / In depth – Mapping the credit crunch The FT’s exclusive interactive map charts how and when many of the financial groups affected by the crisis in the US subprime mortgage markets and the consequent turmoil in credit markets worldwide either made a killing or lost their shirts. Continue reading Mapping the credit crunch |Financial Times
Old stats here but the Canadian usage of Firefox is significantly higher than elsewhere – further evidence of the geekiness of Canada. The most popular browsers on the web are: 1. Microsoft IE 85.45 % 2. Mozilla Firefox 11.51 % 3. Apple Safari 1.75 % 4. Netscape 0.26 % 5. Opera 0.77 % The most popular browsers in the USA are: 1. Microsoft IE 80.73 % 2. Mozilla Firefox 14.07 % 3. Apple Safari 3.55 % 4. Netscape 0.76 % 5. Opera 0.77 % The most popular browsers in Canada are: 1. Microsoft IE 78.52 % 2. Mozilla Firefox 16.98 … Continue reading Mozilla Firefox global usage share | 2005
Some interesting stats from eMarketer on North American Internet and broadband penetration. These numbers seem lower than I had thought, but they follow usual eMarketer approach of summarising and aggregating other research, and it seems credible. Executive Summary: Some 58% of Canada’s population is online, which is only slightly behind the US penetration rate of 63%. Broadband growth has exceeded that of the US, with 59% of households connected via a high-speed Internet connection at the end of this year compared with 44% of US households. Source: eMarketer.com – Canada Online The penetration is predicted to level off at close … Continue reading eMarketer.com – Canada Online growth rates
Courtesy of Payments News, an Interac (payment association) survey that shows most Canadians do not use their debit cards safely. Here is some sound advice from the association to bank customers who use debit. Use your hand or body to shield your PIN when you are conducting transactions at an Automated Banking Machine (ABM) or at the checkout. # Keep your banking card in sight when conducting transactions at the checkout. Check your banking statements regularly and contact your financial institution immediately if you detect any unusual activity, e.g. purchases you did not make or missing charges. If your debit … Continue reading Payments News: Survey Shows Canadians Not Shielding Their Debit Card PIN Regularly
As reported at Canadian Banks and Insurance next week is third quarter earnings time, with focus amongst other things, on margins, Enron, and Wealth management growth. Canadian Banks & Insurance: Bank Profits Seen Up; Domestic Margins Key Bank of Montreal, Toronto-Dominion and Royal report quarterly results the week of Aug. 21. Analysts expect per-share earnings, before items, of C$1.20 for BMO, C$1.16 for TD and 85 Canadian cents for Royal, according to Reuters Estimates. Bank of Nova Scotia , National Bank of Canada and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce will follow in the week of Aug. 28. The mean analyst … Continue reading Canadian 3rd quarter earnings season
Symcor who are owned by, and manage cheque clearing for some Canadian banks, (Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal & Toronto Dominion Bank) are moving ahead in preparation for cheque imaging, and clearing, known in Canada as TECP. Finextra: Symcor licenses Carreker Image Inspector “In preparation for Truncation and Electronic Check Presentment (TECP), Canada’s equivalent to Check 21, one of our top priorities is to have a solution in place that mitigates our risk exposure, protects our customer’s privacy, and ensures document integrity — by not only analyzing an image for quality, but also for usability both in our … Continue reading Symcor licenses Carreker Image Inspector
Dexit apparently has been involved in the RFP for TfL expansion of Oyster that didn’t materialise. However it seems that they have gained some potential UK contacts as a result. Card Technology, The Smart Card News Source Campbell says Dexit’s participation in the TfL bid has opened up some possibilities for future business. “Through that process, we made a number of contacts in the UK market, and some of those people we’re still in discussions with about projects in the UK,” he says. Dexit, which has about 50,000 registered users and 450 participating merchants in the greater Toronto area, is … Continue reading Dexit: Canadian Contactless Firm Looks To UK
In a study, designed to provide banks, payment processors and retailers with a road map for the next decade to help plan their payments business strategies, its indicated payments will double worldwide by 2010, but the details are more interesting. Finextra: Global electronic payment volumes to double by 2010 The annual number of electronic payment transactions, currently at approximately 210 billion worldwide, are expected to double by the end of the decade, according to research released by ACI Worldwide. The individual markets of different growth profiles: The Eastern Europe and Asia/Pacific regions are forecast to lead the world in electronic … Continue reading Global electronic payment volumes to double by 2010
AC Neilson survey nicely summarises the trends for financial services usage in Canada. Neilson are never clear if its online banking only or includes "I looked at a Financial services site"
| Use Of Online Financial Services By Internet Users |
Total |
Female |
Male |
| 2002 |
50% |
45% |
56% |
| 2003 |
54% |
52% |
57% |
| 2004 |
57% |
55% |
60% |
| 2005 |
59% |
57% |
61% |
| Point change since 2002 |
+9 |
+12 |
+5 |
In Canada, bank customers have shifted away from the branch. 46% never visited a branch last Fall.
London Free Press – Business – Bank branches take a back seat to Net, drive-through
An annual research study released recently by research organization TNS Canadian Facts shows just more half of Canadians (54 per cent) visited a bank branch last fall, the lowest level of branch banking since the tracking study began in 1994.
Continue reading “Bank branches take a back seat to Net, drive-through”
Bankwatch 