By Kiyoshi Takenaka - Analysis
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The video game industry looks set for at least another year or two of strong growth, driven by geographical expansion, a strong hardware lineup and growing pool of casual gamers, industry executives said.
In a move to capitalize on emerging economies, Sony Corp's (6758.T) game unit said at the E3 video game trade show this week it will launch operations in Argentina, Columbia and Peru by March 2009, its first step into the South American market.
Rival Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.OS) aims to start offering its Wii console in China this year.
Hardware makers' broader reach beyond the established markets of North America, Europe and Japan would open up new business opportunities for hundreds of software makers and follow the lead of other technology sectors turning to emerging markets for growth.
"Game makers like us are now trying to get into such vibrant regions as Latin America, Eastern Europe, Russia and Asia," Konami Corp (9766.T) Executive Corporate Officer Kazumi Kitaue said on the sidelines of the E3.
"With the overall market expanding like this, we should be able do better and better if we really buckle down."
Another growth driver is the widest variety ever of game hardware available, which caters for a broader range of game players and enables software publishers to create multiple revenue streams from a single title.
Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii compete with one another for dominance in the console market. The biggest seller of all time, last generation's Sony machine, the PlayStation 2, is also still thriving.
"This creates a very favorable business environment for software makers," he said.
Global video game sales are likely to grow 15.2 percent this year to $48.3 billion this year, followed by a 9.3 percent rise to $52.8 billion in 2009, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates.
RECESSION-PROOF
The industry is also benefiting from a new group of casual, or light, gamers, as Nintendo has broadened the gaming population beyond the traditional user base of young males with its intuitive, easy-to-use games such as "Wii Sports."
"The Wii ... has opened up an entirely new set of gamers that weren't there before," Electronic Arts Games Label President Frank Gibeau said.
"If you look at the DS and the Wii they are just adding people to the pie," he said.
Underscoring Nintendo's smash success, operating profit at the creator of such iconic game characters as Mario and Zelda more than doubled in the year ended March 31.
source:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUKN1736434220080718?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
ICBC has nearly 50 million customers of personal Internet banking
China's largest commercial bank Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) said its number of personal Internet banking customers hit 48.49 million by the end of June this year and E-banking service took 39.5 percent of its whole business.
In H1, ICBC added 9.4129 million new personal Internet banking customers, 27 percent more than the figure for the same period of 2007, and 294,200 new corporate Internet banking customers, up 54 percent.
The bank's total transaction value of E-banking service in 2007 reached 102.9 trillion yuan, up 127 percent over 2006, making ICBC China's first bank with an annual trade volume of over a hundred trillion in E-banking.
In the first six months this year, ICBC launched quite a few new Internet banking products and services for gold trading, subscribing IPOs and taxation.
source:http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1767778/
In H1, ICBC added 9.4129 million new personal Internet banking customers, 27 percent more than the figure for the same period of 2007, and 294,200 new corporate Internet banking customers, up 54 percent.
The bank's total transaction value of E-banking service in 2007 reached 102.9 trillion yuan, up 127 percent over 2006, making ICBC China's first bank with an annual trade volume of over a hundred trillion in E-banking.
In the first six months this year, ICBC launched quite a few new Internet banking products and services for gold trading, subscribing IPOs and taxation.
source:http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1767778/
Thursday, July 24, 2008
online banking 2
What are the disadvantages of online banking?
Security issues: An online banking system could be targeted by miscreants. Hackers are constantly looking for ways to exploit loopholes in bank websites as well as online stores. 'Phishing' is a term that is used for the scam in which an unauthorised person creates a replica of a website and tricks people into entering their account numbers and passwords. To avoid being tricked, you should always check the security certificate of the website you are using, before you give any details out.
Lack of documentation: When business is conducted online, everything is done through the computer screen and no receipts are given. After you make an online transaction, you should always print out a copy of the online confirmation of your payment. Ensure that details like the amount you paid, product description, terms of delivery, etc. are clearly legible on it. Also, write the date of the transaction if it is not mentioned.
System failure: On a rare occasion, it is possible for an online system to suffer a failure and crash. If it is serious, all your data records could be lost. Prepare for any possible mishaps by regularly backing up your data on CDs and printing out hard copies of any transactions you carry out. Also, have a good anti-virus program installed on your home computer and update it regularly. This will prevent any loss of data at your end.
Online banking is the stepping stone to a future where convenience will be the name of the game. Open your mind to the possibilities of this wonderful service and do not hesitate to explore its benefits.
source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/07/18/news0956.htm
Security issues: An online banking system could be targeted by miscreants. Hackers are constantly looking for ways to exploit loopholes in bank websites as well as online stores. 'Phishing' is a term that is used for the scam in which an unauthorised person creates a replica of a website and tricks people into entering their account numbers and passwords. To avoid being tricked, you should always check the security certificate of the website you are using, before you give any details out.
Lack of documentation: When business is conducted online, everything is done through the computer screen and no receipts are given. After you make an online transaction, you should always print out a copy of the online confirmation of your payment. Ensure that details like the amount you paid, product description, terms of delivery, etc. are clearly legible on it. Also, write the date of the transaction if it is not mentioned.
System failure: On a rare occasion, it is possible for an online system to suffer a failure and crash. If it is serious, all your data records could be lost. Prepare for any possible mishaps by regularly backing up your data on CDs and printing out hard copies of any transactions you carry out. Also, have a good anti-virus program installed on your home computer and update it regularly. This will prevent any loss of data at your end.
Online banking is the stepping stone to a future where convenience will be the name of the game. Open your mind to the possibilities of this wonderful service and do not hesitate to explore its benefits.
source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/07/18/news0956.htm
Monday, July 21, 2008
Online Banking
Online banking is a trend that has emerged recently. Learn more about the pros and cons of this easy service.
Have you ever found yourself rushing to pay your bills on the weekend because you were too busy during the week? What if you urgently need to send money to a sick relative late at night? There is a relatively new financial service that can come to your rescue called 'online banking'. Read on to learn more about it.
What is online banking?
Online banking is a service provided by a bank to customers, so that they can access their accounts over the Internet, through a secure website. The simplest thing one can do, using this service, is to view the status of their accounts as well as any transactions that have been carried out. Besides checking your account details, an online banking service also allows you to transfer money between multiple accounts as well as carry out electronic transactions. Many banks even allow you to pay some of your bills online, for a small fee.
What are the advantages of online banking?
Convenience: Online banking saves you the hassle of having to wait in a queue. You can access your account and make transactions whenever you like. This way, you do not have to wait until you get some free time off work, or spend your weekend writing checks and queuing up at the bank to deposit them. It also saves time. Just sit down in front of your computer and open up a webpage with your account details on it. In a span of a few minutes, you can check your account details and carry out a transaction. There is no need to manually go through your chequebook. Moreover, you avoid the bother of requiring stamps and envelopes to mail cheques to different places.
Organisation: Online banking simplifies your job of having to shuffle through stacks of paper every month, trying to tally receipts with bank statements. Instead, you can just create a spreadsheet on your computer and enter your expenses and account balances on it. Using simple addition, the computer can automatically tally up both of them and check to see if they match.
Reduced paperwork: With online banking, you are able to avoid the headache of dealing with the papers that tend to accumulate using a regular banking service. Since you can check your account whenever you wish, there is no need for regular bank statements to be sent to you. If you pay bills or make purchases online, you will not have to sign any receipts.
Confidentiality: You can carry out all your transactions in the privacy of your own home. This means no one is likely to find out your account number or password unless you yourself give it to them. You also do not have to worry about losing your receipts or about dishonest storekeepers acquiring your credit or debit card details.
source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/07/18/news0956.htm
Have you ever found yourself rushing to pay your bills on the weekend because you were too busy during the week? What if you urgently need to send money to a sick relative late at night? There is a relatively new financial service that can come to your rescue called 'online banking'. Read on to learn more about it.
What is online banking?
Online banking is a service provided by a bank to customers, so that they can access their accounts over the Internet, through a secure website. The simplest thing one can do, using this service, is to view the status of their accounts as well as any transactions that have been carried out. Besides checking your account details, an online banking service also allows you to transfer money between multiple accounts as well as carry out electronic transactions. Many banks even allow you to pay some of your bills online, for a small fee.
What are the advantages of online banking?
Convenience: Online banking saves you the hassle of having to wait in a queue. You can access your account and make transactions whenever you like. This way, you do not have to wait until you get some free time off work, or spend your weekend writing checks and queuing up at the bank to deposit them. It also saves time. Just sit down in front of your computer and open up a webpage with your account details on it. In a span of a few minutes, you can check your account details and carry out a transaction. There is no need to manually go through your chequebook. Moreover, you avoid the bother of requiring stamps and envelopes to mail cheques to different places.
Organisation: Online banking simplifies your job of having to shuffle through stacks of paper every month, trying to tally receipts with bank statements. Instead, you can just create a spreadsheet on your computer and enter your expenses and account balances on it. Using simple addition, the computer can automatically tally up both of them and check to see if they match.
Reduced paperwork: With online banking, you are able to avoid the headache of dealing with the papers that tend to accumulate using a regular banking service. Since you can check your account whenever you wish, there is no need for regular bank statements to be sent to you. If you pay bills or make purchases online, you will not have to sign any receipts.
Confidentiality: You can carry out all your transactions in the privacy of your own home. This means no one is likely to find out your account number or password unless you yourself give it to them. You also do not have to worry about losing your receipts or about dishonest storekeepers acquiring your credit or debit card details.
source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/07/18/news0956.htm
Friday, July 18, 2008
Canadians are leaders in adopting online banking services- study
Study finds that Canada is one of the most developed countries in terms of online banking, with 61.7 percent of the country's internet users visiting a banking site in April 2008. During the same period, 49.5 percent of UK internet users accessed online banking services, as compared with 44.4 percent in the US and 41.7 percent registered in Australia.
Canada is also positioned first in terms of online banking frequency, with an average of eight usage days and 10.5 visits per user in April. Users spent an average of 46 minutes on banking sites during the month, viewing nearly 121 pages.
Of the 24 million Canadian internet users, 15.5 million visited a banking site in April 2008, up by 2 percent over the same period of 2007, when 15.1 million web users accessed online banking services. RBC Financial Group was the most popular site, with 4.6 million visitors within this period, a number which declined by 2 percent as compared with April 2007. TD Bank Financial Group occupied the second position, with 4.5 million visitors and a 2 percent increase in visitation. Bank of Montreal Sites reported the greatest increase in visitation during 2007: a 22 percent growth.. In April 2008, the total number of unique visitors grew by 2 percent over April 2007, but total internet audience rose by 4 percent.The demographic profile of the visitors indicates that nearly 74 percent of those aged between 25 and 44 use online banking services, as compared to 63 percent of those aged 55 and older.
Online banking penetration among Canadians aged 45 to 54 reached 73 percent. This segment showed the heaviest frequency in usage, as those belonging to this age category visited banking sites 12 times a month and viewed 157 pages. The study suggests this may be caused by the fact that this age group deals with more financial challenges than others, such as retirement planning and paying for the university education of their children. For those between 35 and 44 years old, the study indicates 122 average pages per visitor and 10.5 average visits per visitor.
source: http://epnn.com/content/view/17515/419/
Canada is also positioned first in terms of online banking frequency, with an average of eight usage days and 10.5 visits per user in April. Users spent an average of 46 minutes on banking sites during the month, viewing nearly 121 pages.
Of the 24 million Canadian internet users, 15.5 million visited a banking site in April 2008, up by 2 percent over the same period of 2007, when 15.1 million web users accessed online banking services. RBC Financial Group was the most popular site, with 4.6 million visitors within this period, a number which declined by 2 percent as compared with April 2007. TD Bank Financial Group occupied the second position, with 4.5 million visitors and a 2 percent increase in visitation. Bank of Montreal Sites reported the greatest increase in visitation during 2007: a 22 percent growth.. In April 2008, the total number of unique visitors grew by 2 percent over April 2007, but total internet audience rose by 4 percent.The demographic profile of the visitors indicates that nearly 74 percent of those aged between 25 and 44 use online banking services, as compared to 63 percent of those aged 55 and older.
Online banking penetration among Canadians aged 45 to 54 reached 73 percent. This segment showed the heaviest frequency in usage, as those belonging to this age category visited banking sites 12 times a month and viewed 157 pages. The study suggests this may be caused by the fact that this age group deals with more financial challenges than others, such as retirement planning and paying for the university education of their children. For those between 35 and 44 years old, the study indicates 122 average pages per visitor and 10.5 average visits per visitor.
source: http://epnn.com/content/view/17515/419/
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
China Merchants Bank Receives New York State Banking License
China Merchants Bank ("CMB") was presented today with an official banking license by New York State Superintendent of Banking Richard H. Neiman, becoming the first Chinese bank to receive a banking license in the United States since the adoption of the Foreign Bank Supervision Enhancement Act of 1991.
CMB established a representative office in New York in 2002 and filed an application to establish a New York branch in 2007. The New York State Banking Department and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors approved the application in August and November 2007, respectively. CMB has completed all relevant legal procedures and has been deemed by the Department to have satisfied all requirements necessary for the banking license.
The presentation of the New York State banking license is a milestone in CMB's history. It marks the bank meeting a significant regulatory standard, as well as the enhancement of China's financial regulatory environment. Preparation for the opening of CMB's New York branch, which is expected later this year, is now underway.
"We recognize that international banks have options with respect to charter choice for their overseas locations and we are proud that China Merchants Bank has chosen New York State, making them the first Chinese bank branch licensed by the New York State Banking Department," said Richard H. Neiman, Superintendent of Banks for the State of New York. "New York has been, and continues to be, an international hub of finance. China Merchants Bank, as well as many other foreign institutions, have recognized this and the benefits of working with New York in their business endeavors, confirming New York as a leading global financial center."
"The New York branch will facilitate trade and other business activities between the United States and China by providing trade service, trade finance, dollar clearing and other services to businesses from both countries," said Hui Fang, the General Manager of the New York branch. "Our New York branch will continue to adhere to high standards of prudent and compliant management and operations as we commence business transactions. Our New York branch is an important part of CMB's overseas expansion strategy."
China Merchants Bank was founded in 1987 with its head office in Shenzhen, China. It is China's 6th largest bank by total assets with shares traded in both Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges. As of December 31, 2007, CMB had total assets of $187 billion with 576 branches and offices across China with over 30,000 employees. It generated $3 billion net income in 2007.
CMB provides customers with various corporate and retail banking products and services, and conducts treasury activities for proprietary purpose and on behalf of our customers. CMB commands leading position in credit card, online banking and wealth management businesses in China.
In the recent years, CMB has received many domestic and international honors for its business performance, management capability and corporate culture
source: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/china-merchants-bank-receives-new/story.aspx?guid=%7BE7998C8E-6AD4-4BE0-9049-914EB9496A32%7D&dist=hppr
CMB established a representative office in New York in 2002 and filed an application to establish a New York branch in 2007. The New York State Banking Department and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors approved the application in August and November 2007, respectively. CMB has completed all relevant legal procedures and has been deemed by the Department to have satisfied all requirements necessary for the banking license.
The presentation of the New York State banking license is a milestone in CMB's history. It marks the bank meeting a significant regulatory standard, as well as the enhancement of China's financial regulatory environment. Preparation for the opening of CMB's New York branch, which is expected later this year, is now underway.
"We recognize that international banks have options with respect to charter choice for their overseas locations and we are proud that China Merchants Bank has chosen New York State, making them the first Chinese bank branch licensed by the New York State Banking Department," said Richard H. Neiman, Superintendent of Banks for the State of New York. "New York has been, and continues to be, an international hub of finance. China Merchants Bank, as well as many other foreign institutions, have recognized this and the benefits of working with New York in their business endeavors, confirming New York as a leading global financial center."
"The New York branch will facilitate trade and other business activities between the United States and China by providing trade service, trade finance, dollar clearing and other services to businesses from both countries," said Hui Fang, the General Manager of the New York branch. "Our New York branch will continue to adhere to high standards of prudent and compliant management and operations as we commence business transactions. Our New York branch is an important part of CMB's overseas expansion strategy."
China Merchants Bank was founded in 1987 with its head office in Shenzhen, China. It is China's 6th largest bank by total assets with shares traded in both Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges. As of December 31, 2007, CMB had total assets of $187 billion with 576 branches and offices across China with over 30,000 employees. It generated $3 billion net income in 2007.
CMB provides customers with various corporate and retail banking products and services, and conducts treasury activities for proprietary purpose and on behalf of our customers. CMB commands leading position in credit card, online banking and wealth management businesses in China.
In the recent years, CMB has received many domestic and international honors for its business performance, management capability and corporate culture
source: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/china-merchants-bank-receives-new/story.aspx?guid=%7BE7998C8E-6AD4-4BE0-9049-914EB9496A32%7D&dist=hppr
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