Future of Banking: Merger fever is hitting Europe. In November 1998 alone mergers and acquisitions reached a new record of $58.5 billion of which $38.5 billion was from operations exceeding $1 billion, according to a survey by JP Morgan Securities.

61% of US mergers destroy shareholder value - Business Week report October 2002. The AOL Time Warner merger cost shareholders about 80 percent of the value of the combined company on the day of the merger.

Archived article on mergers and acquisitions in EU - 1998. The process of consolidation of companies contiued in a frenzy for the following decade.

Future of banking and financial services in Europe? Rapid European consolidation - Huge reduction in bank branches - Huge growth in online financial services activity - Struggle to be key global finance players - Giants will partner with small players to develop new retail and wholesale financial products and services rapidly - Relationship and trust will always dominate top-end premium banking relationships - One-click bank account changes will be on the horizon - Credit / charge card use will grow as written cheques all but disappear.

News that is going to change our business world.

Large number of Futurist conference keynote presentations by Dr. Patrick Dixon. Click for more.

[http://youtube.com/watch?v=u9siqEmdRdA]"Corporate Real Estate Future: Outsourcing"

How the real estate industry will be shaken up by consolidation, new technology, outsourcing and restructuring within corporations. Major shake up in corporate real estate investment and management. Dr Patrick Dixon warns Corenet Global delegates that the Corporate Real Estate industry is being rapidly overtaken by events.