Banks recognize the critical importance of online solutions for their business clients. These solutions range from sophisticated corporate banking portals to simplified small business online banking products. Third-party solution providers offer robust packaged applications designed to support the full range of online cash management needs across product sets and customer segments. This Research Note discusses how the cash needs of middle-market commercial clients differ from those of small business clients and whether a single online cash management solution can meet the needs of both, an increasingly important question as banks seek to rationalize their technology spending.

Capital markets are in a state of transition due to the weak economy and regulatory and legislative reform. This TowerGroup Research Note is a business trend analysis that includes an update on regulations in the United States and analysis of asset-backed securities (ABS) for the credit card market that identifies alternatives to traditional ABS financing.

During the past decade, the electronification of business-to-business (B2B) transactions progressed steadily. Two primary areas targeted for further B2B electronification are the obvious ones of payments and invoices. In order to create an end-to-end process covering purchase orders, invoices, payments, remittance information, data matching, and general ledger posting, financial service institutions (FSIs) as well as other industry vendors have recently been promoting B2B payment networks. This TowerGroup Research Note discusses the evolution of B2B payment portals, their current state, and the potential end game for the market anticipated by TowerGroup.

The year 2009 saw the first open public demonstration of risks facing the financial services industry as global regulators required stress testing to a specific set of economic inputs. Standard scenarios driven by regulators are insufficient to any given firm, though. Leading FSIs are establishing or expanding their capabilities for stress testing and weaving it into the fabric of their business decision making. Global differences in stress testing requirements increase the likelihood that test results in one part of the industry will lack coordination with test results in other parts, begging the question of whether anyone has a clear view of systemic risks.

This TowerGroup Research Note considers the top 10 business drivers, strategic responses, and technology initiatives that firms engaged in payments in Europe should be addressing in 2010. It complements the global focus of the other TowerGroup payment services lines, namely, Global Payments and Bank Cards as well as the payment elements within Wholesale Banking. TowerGroup explains why the drivers feature on the list and analyzes the key issues and implications, emphasizing those that have changed most in the previous year. The report then highlights the series of strategic responses and technology initiatives that banks need to set in train to address these issues.

This Research Note identifies the top 10 issues that the European retail banking industry at large will face over the coming year. The list of the top 10 business drivers, strategic responses, and technology initiatives is a result of the collaborative insight that TowerGroup has gained through the research and advisory work it does across the European retail banking value chain. TowerGroup has a privileged position, working with key players in every part of the value chain from banks to processors and from vendors to outsourcers. Through ongoing discussions, TowerGroup distills the themes found in this document and seeks to answer the question "So what should my business do?"

This Research Note presents TowerGroup's fourth annual analysis and prediction of the key challenges and opportunities facing the wholesale banking industry. In this report, TowerGroup identifies the top 10 business drivers that we believe will have the greatest impact on wholesale banking in 2010, and we identify and analyze the top 10 strategic responses and technology initiatives we believe successful institutions will put in place in order to maximize the opportunities for 2010 and beyond.

The economic recession has curtailed investment in mobile banking and payments solutions in the United States. Financial services executives sense the intrinsic value of mobile, but TowerGroup believes most will proceed cautiously as the market demand for mobile commerce continues to evolve and the technology solutions become more mature. This Research Note provides TowerGroup's insights on what lies ahead in 2010 in the consumer market for mobile banking and payments by identifying the 10 most important business drivers for the industry and defining the essential strategic responses and technology priorities.

The consumer lending industries and the US economy are at a crossroads. If long-term economic and financial recovery has truly begun, then financial services institutions can implement more IT-enabled growth strategies in 2010 that will pay handsome dividends. If negative surprises continue to plague the financial markets and inhibit FSIs' growth, then premature expansion could be a costly and unprofitable strategy. This Research Note identifies major events TowerGroup believes will occur in banking, lending, and real estate markets that will impact FSIs' business strategy and IT planning in 2010. The report also provides data and commentary supporting these predictions.

This TowerGroup Research Note is a business trend analysis of the Canadian consumer payments market. Because Canadian government has changed its rules governing bank cards to permit "duality," in effect permitting a bank to issue more than one brand of payment card, Visa International (Visa) and MasterCard Worldwide (MasterCard) have each recently announced plans to launch debit card programs in Canada. Their entry into the debit card market is likely to disrupt the Canadian payments market. The analysis in this report focuses on why MasterCard Worldwide and Visa International chose to launch now and the impact their decision will have on the Canadian consumer market.