Financial services is a term used to refer to the services provided by the finance industry. Financial services is also the term used to describe organizations that deal with the management of money. Banks, investment banks, insurance companies, credit card companies and stock brokerages, are examples of the types of firms comprising the industry, which provides a variety of money and investment related services. Financial services is the largest industry (or industry category) in the world, in terms of earnings; as of 2004, the industry represents 20% of the market capitalization of the S&P 500.^*

History of financial services

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United States: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act

The term financial services became more prevalent in the United States partly as a result of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of the late 1990s, which enabled different types of companies in the US financial services industry to merge. Critics of this act say the term financial services attempts to make the unison of these operations sound natural, ignoring the history of problems that have arisen from combining them, such as conflicts of interest and monopolization. Others, noting that many of the restrictions abolished by the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act had never existed in other countries or had been abolished earlier than in the US, say the term financial services is a natural one, in long term use, which means nothing more than its constituent words.

In the USA almost every company now which previously described themselves as a bank, insurance company, or brokerage house, now describes themselves in some way as a financial services institution. Allstate Insurance, for example, now provides CDs and investment brokerage services. Bank of America offers full featured brokerage products, while E*TRADE has expanded into offering bank accounts and loans. Companies usually have two distinct approaches to this new type of business. One approach would be a bank which simply buys an insurance company or an investment bank, keeps the original brands of the acquired firm, and adds the acquisition to its holding company simply to diversify its earnings. Outside the US, e.g., in Japan, non-financial services companies are permitted within the holding company. In this scenario, each company still looks independent, and has its own customers, etc. This is essentially the style of Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase.

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NYT > Automobiles

Truck Sale Slump Weighs on Toyota
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:08:02 -0000
The automaker said that its worldwide net income for the quarter fell 28 percent, hurt by slumping sales of its Tundra pickup truck and S.U.V.’s made and sold in North America.
Andrea Pininfarina, Chief of Car Designer, Dies at 51
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:36:29 -0000
Mr. Pininfarina was the chairman and chief executive of the Italian company founded by his family that designs Ferraris and other cars.
G.M.’s Directors Stand Behind Wagoner
Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:19:06 -0000
The chairman of General Motors, Rick Wagoner, has the “unified support” of the board and will continue to lead the troubled automaker, G.M.’s lead outside director said.

Freep.com - RSS - Autos

Delphi lost $551 million in second quarter
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0500
Delphi Corp. lost $551 million from April through June, the Troy supplier reported Friday, narrowing its loss compared to the same period last year.
To help cut costs, auto industry gives plastics a second life
Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:46:00 -0500
High oil prices have pushed the auto industry to go green in more ways than improving fuel economy. At a time of plummeting vehicle sales and production, automakers and suppliers are also being squeezed by soaring prices for key automotive commodities such as steel, aluminum and plastics.
Detroit 3 gain in quality survey
Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:54:00 -0500
Detroit's automakers posted middling improvements in a closely-watched survey of reliability released Thursday, with Ford Motor Co. maintaining its advantage over General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.

L.A. Times - Auto Industry News

Gauging the furor over Obama's tire pressure remark
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
Given Barack Obama's bracing summons to civic duty this week, telling the masses to keep their tires properly inflated to save gas, I was surprised and a little disappointed that the tire maintenance section of my local AutoZone was so uninhabited.
Mitsubishi electric car to get U.S. market test by PG & E, Edison
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700
A handful of i-MiEV cars will be sent to the utilities, which will evaluate whether there's a mass market for them here. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will bring electric cars to the U.S. starting this fall in test programs announced Thursday with Pacific Gas & Electric Co. and Southern California Edison.
Chrysler's woes dragging down Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 09:06:32 -0700
A year ago, Dollar's stock closed at $31.50, on Thursday, shares closed at $3.52. That's a 89% nose dive in one year's time. The central problem: Chrysler.

Daily automotive news and comment - from just-auto.com

THE WEEK THAT WAS: More sales and profit gloom
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:43:00 -0000
So, will the good times ever return in the west? Back to the halcyon days of record sales and profits?
BELGIUM: Toyota slowing European output
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:15:00 -0000
Toyota is to cutting output at its European factories here in the United Kingdom and Turkey in line with slowing European demand.
US: One-third of suppliers risk bankruptcy - report
Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:34:00 -0000
Lower industry volumes and the massive decline in truck and SUV sales have put as many as one-third of automotive suppliers in North America at risk of bankruptcy, according to the summer 2008 Automotive Industry Review prepared by Grant Thornton Corporate Advisory and Restructuring Services.

Comments for AutoReport

Comment on Mergers Redux by Andrew Charles
Andrew Charles Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:24:11 -0000
In the years since I wrote this, there have been a number of changes, some minor, and others quite major. Going down the list: DaimlerChrysler de-merged into Daimler AG and Chrysler LLC, and sold its stake in Mitsubishi. Daimler AG retains its truck and bus brands (including Mitsubishi Fuso), and Mercedes-Benz and smart in the car group. A cross-licensing agreement with Jaguar covers the use of the Daimler name. Chrysler LLC retains the active Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler brands, and has re-affirmed its ownership of the defunct Willys brand. Hyundai has kept out of the merger game since acquiring Kia, but has added a new brand in the Korean domestic market with its Genesis luxury sedan (in other markets sold as a Hyundai). Fiat has ended its alliance with GM after extracting a hefty divorce settlement. The company's subsequent success makes this one of GM management's worst decisions in recent years. After dropping Autobianchi, last seen in the Italian domestic market, Fiat is said to be exploring a new low-cost brand. Maserati, formerly owned by Ferrari, is now allied with the group's main auto operation, now known as Fiat Group Automobiles. Ford has unwound several key acquisitions in the last few years, first selling Aston Martin Lagonda to an Anglo-Arab investment syndicate, and most recently Jaguar Land Rover to Indian automaker Tata Motors. Rumors persist that Ford is either interested in selling Volvo, or has been approached by other automakers seeking a luxury acquisition, but the company is far more integrated into the Ford organization, with common powertrains and platforms underlying every model. GM has also unwound several equity investments, although not on the scale of Daimler and Ford. Its minor interests in and alliances with Fiat, Isuzu and Subaru have been ended, and engine development centers in Germany and Japan previously controlled by GM returned to Isuzu. Its alliance with Suzuki remains, on a smaller scale, but its equity interest has been reduced. The company is now evaluating the future of the Hummer brand, acquired from AM General, and despite denials rumors persist that other brands are also being evaluated for sale or closure (fueled by an active and even malicious campaign by disaffected members of middle management). Phoenix Group, which acquired MG Rover, predictably imploded, with government investigations continuing at enormous expense into the reasons. Its assets have been divided among several parties, Chinese automakers SAIC Motor and NAC acquiring the main carmaking operations, and a scion of the Riley family acquiring MG Sport and Racing and the X80 project. The Rover brand, and associated trademarks, previously licensed from BMW, were then sold by the German company to Land Rover. As a result Tata Motors has acquired not only Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover, but also Daimler, Lanchester, Rover and Sterling. Having lost the chance to acquire Rover, SAIC established its own Roewe brand as an alternative, and subsequently acquired NAC and its NAC MG operations, including the Austin, MG, Wolseley and Austin-Healey brands. An alliance with HFI Automotive and the Healey family supports the possible revival of the latter marque. Peugeot SA has augmented its non-equity alliances with Ford in diesel engines and Fiat in commercial vehicles. It now produces small cars in co-operation with Toyota, 4-cylinder gasoline engines in alliance with BMW, and SUVs in alliance with Mitsubishi. The Panhard et Levassor operation has since been sold to military 4×4 specialist Auverland. Renault's most recent activity has been an alliance with Russian automaker AutoVaz, owner of the Lada brand. German automaker Volkswagen, after acquiring a number of other companies over the years, has most recently found itself the target of long-term partner Porsche, whose founder was responsible for the original Volkswagen prior to WWII.
Comment on Mazda Kazamai Concept to Premiere at Moscow International Automobile Salon 2008 by VW Informer
VW Informer Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:27:52 -0000
That's a really awesome concept; but I just don't see it going into production without a lot of alterations, especially given the practical considerations of a grill-less design. --- Working with VW to spread the word about the new Tiguan. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know.
Comment on New Ford Focus RS On Track as First Details Confirmed by Ken MacDaniel Sr
Ken MacDaniel Sr Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:24:11 -0000
Please bring it to the US. The Mustang GT and GT 500's are great but.................................

Auto news - CNNMoney.com

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Can Chrysler survive?
Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:43:40 -0400
The frailest of Detroit's automakers has been in private hands for a year. CEO Bob Nardelli badly needs a hit if the company is to endure.
Big Three face bankruptcy fears
Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:00:13 -0400
It's been a bumpy road for Detroit's Big Three automakers for the past few years. But it may get worse.

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