Oakam, a UK-based lender providing financial services to people who find it difficult to borrow from banks, today announced its new smartphone app is available to download from the App Store:. The app (iOS) marks the first stage of the company’s digital expansion of its proven in-store model with the intention of it being applied across the UK and beyond.

New research from the UK's leading contact centre magazine Call Centre Helper, run in partnership with NewVoiceMedia, reveals that nearly half of industry professionals (44%) name ‘IT issues’ as a key barrier to running an effective contact centre.

The survey, which asked over 600 members of the contact centre industry ‘what barriers stop you from running your dream contact centre?’ also found that budget (67%), the need for new technology (40%) and technology not being joined up (35%), are all responsible for restricting progress in the contact centre.

Hold the front page - the Chinese economy is slowing down. Who didn’t see that one coming? In an age of intertwined economies, extreme volatility in China is being exported globally. Calamity across the Chinese commodity markets this week is having largely foreseen global consequences. If ever there was an argument against globalisation, this interlocking of economic liberalism must form part of it. One thing is clear: China is undergoing a tectonic shift in its economy and this will impact markets great and small across the globe.

Technology is meant to make life easier. Be it a smart phone, TV or fridge, or even a smart water kettle, they all promise a simpler life. Whether they deliver on that is another matter entirely and the idea that more technology always equalsbetter is debatable, particularly considering that my new bathroom scales tweet my weight every time I step on them.

Fintech startup Ormsby Street has launched its innovative credit-checking tool CreditHQ in Italy, as part of a new partnership with one of Italy’s biggest and most-used banks.

Basware, the leading provider of e-invoicing and purchase-to-pay solutions, is accelerating the uptake of e-invoicing in the UK through a new senior appointment.

 Banks believe that new digitally enabled supplier finance networks and alternative lenders now pose a significant threat to every part of the commercial lending business, according to a new survey conducted by Misys, the leading financial software company.

Key findings from the survey include:

·         68% cited small business lending as being under high threat

·         61% see competitive pressure in supply chain finance product lines, such as receivables finance and factoring

• 43% of people look to contactless payments as the payment method of the future.
• Within the next five years, one in three (34%) expect to be using a mobile device on a day-to-day basis to make payments.
• By 2025, over one in five (22%) think they will be regularly using their fingerprint to pay for goods and services.

The latest research from Lloyds Bank on the future of payments shows many people believe they won’t need cash in the near future as they increasingly turn to cards, contactless payments and other new technologies.

Meethaq, the pioneer of Islamic banking in Oman from Bank Muscat, as part of continuous endeavour to provide world class services through the latest technology and innovation, has upgraded its core banking system, resulting in a host of cutting edge and first-of-its-kind Islamic banking services covering ATM/CDM, debit card and mobile banking for Meethaq customers. Meethaq now functions with the new iMAL Islamic core banking system.

UK SMEs are now using £76 billion of alternative finance*, up 43% from £53 billion a year ago as banks continue to pull back from lending to smaller businesses, says Funding Options, the online business finance supermarket.

Funding Options says that alternative lending to SMEs is now equivalent to 46% of the value of traditional term loans and overdrafts, which have fallen to £163 billion**. That represents a fall of 5% from £172 billion a year ago, and 17% from £197 billion four years ago.