[Posted by Ed Kountz]

Earlier this month, MasterCard became the first payments brand to publish the amounts it fines merchants for PCI compliance violations. The move, while not radical in itself, is one more indication of efforts to add teeth to data compliance practices that violate the PCI data security standard.

[Posted by Ed Kountz]

In my last blog post, I sketched out the e-Business ramifications of the pressures that were mounting on credit card fees and operational structure, both from the legislative/ regulatory front as well as from merchants, who had just launched a website dedicated to mobilizing consumers against the “unfair and hidden” credit card fee of interchange.

[Posted by Ed Kountz]

Since the collapse of Bear Stearns nearly a year ago--the first top-tier brick to crumble in the foundation of the modern US financial services industry --the changes that have hit financial services have been far-reaching and swift.

From Lehman to AIG down to institutions the size of little Integrity Bank (the Alpharatta, GA institution acquired by Regions Financial in Q3 08 after mortgage-related losses consumed its operations) few aspects of the banking and lending industries have been spared.

[Posted by Ed Kountz]

While all good things eventually come to an end, so too do endings lead to new beginnings.

It's in that spirit that I want to welcome regular readers to my new, role-based blog within Forrester. It's good to be back, and thanks to all of you who have reached out since the migration to the new platform.

The location of my blog may have changed, but the global financial crisis continues:

--Wall Street just finished its worst January ever;

--More than 100,000 job losses were announced last week alone;

--And the week to come is worth watching, with a variety of economic reports (including consumer spending, retail sales, housing and the January employment report) all in the wings.