Lower Interest Rates and a Recovering Economy Drive Growth in the American Financial Cards...

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c37804) has announced the addition of Financial Cards in the US to their offering.

Our Financial Cards in the United States report establishes the size and structure of the market for ATMs, credit cards,

debit cards, store cards and smart cards (1999-2004). It looks at key players in the market (issuers and operators), number of cards in circulation, numbers transactions and value of transactions. It offers strategic analysis of sector forecasts and trends to watch to 2009.

Product coverage: ATM cards; credit cards; charge cards; debit cards; e-purse cards; pre-paid cards; store cards

Why buy this report?

- Get a detailed picture of the financial cards industry

- Pinpoint growth sectors and trends and identify factors driving change

- Understand the competitive environment and the market's major players

- Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop

With a network of over 600 analysts worldwide, we have a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.

Topics Covered

1. INTRODUCTION

- 1.1 Scope and Coverage

- 1.2 Glossary

2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

3. MARKET BACKGROUND

- 3.1 Disposable Income

- 3.2 Consumer Credit

- 3.3 Regulatory Environment

- 3.4 Card Fraud

- 3.5 Payment and Clearance Systems

4. FINANCIAL CARDS

- 4.1 Market Performance

- 4.2 Domestic versus Foreign Spend

- 4.3 Cash Withdrawal versus Card Purchase

- 4.4 Consumer Spending by Sector

- 4.5 Consumer Spending by Location

- 4.6 Internet Transactions

- 4.7 Smart Cards

- 4.8 Emerging Trends

- 4.9 Market Forecasts

5. COMPANY PROFILES

- 5.1 American Express

- 5.2 Citibank

- 5.3 MasterCard

- 5.4 MBNA

- 5.5 Sears

- 5.6 Visa

6. CREDIT CARDS

- 6.1 Sector Performance

- 6.2 Competitive Environment

- 6.3 Sector Forecasts

- 6.4 Affinity Cards

7. CHARGE CARDS

- 7.1 Sector Performance

- 7.2 Competitive Environment

- 7.3 Sector Forecasts

8. DEBIT CARDS

- 8.1 Sector Performance

- 8.2 Competitive Environment

- 8.3 Sector Forecasts

9. E-PURSE CARDS

- 9.1 Sector Performance

- 9.2 Disposable Pre-paid Cards

- 9.3 Competitive Environment

- 9.4 Sector Forecasts

10. STORE CARDS

- 10.1 Sector Performance

- 10.2 Competitive Environment

- 10.3 Sector Forecasts

- 10.4 Reward Cards

Summary

Very positive year for the financial cards market

The last year of the review period can be considered a very positive year for the financial cards market as a whole. According to the Federal Reserve, Americans' use of credit cards, debit cards and other electronic bill paying methods eclipsed paper cheques, for the first time. This is clear from an examination of the evolution of the different sectors within the financial cards market.

Fuelled by lower interest rates, and a recovering economy, Americans used their credit cards more than ever over the review period; this resulted in record levels of consumer debt.

Companies Mentioned Include:

- Visa USA Inc - MasterCard Inc - American Express Co - JCB Co Ltd - JP Morgan Chase & Co - Citibank NA - MBNA America Bank NA (MBNA) - Bank of America Corp - American Express Co - Discover Financial Services Inc - US Bancorp - Capital One Services Inc - Wells Fargo - Merrill Lynch & Co Inc - Household Bank - Advanta Corp - Providian National Bank - General Electric Consumer Finance - Bank One Card Services - Fleet National Bank - FleetBoston Financial Corp - Wachovia Corp - Household Bank - Target Corp - ADS Alliance Data Systems Inc - Federated Department Stores, Inc - May Department Stores Co, The - Sears, Roebuck & Co

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c37804