CCR World Magazine

USA - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released its report listing the top consumer complaints filed with the agency in 2009. The FTC received more than 1.3 million complaints in 2009. Although identity theft remained the top complaint category for the third year in a row with 278,078 complaints, the number dropped from 314,484 complaints in 2008.

A new consumer financial protection measure was introduced in the Senate this week that scraps the idea of a new standalone agency. But ARM officials caution that the industry is still at risk under the proposal.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd (Bank Rakyat) posted its best profit in 55 years as an increase in income across all business segments and favourable cost of funds boosted its profit before tax and zakat to RM1.55bil for the financial year ended Dec 31 (FY09).

NAIROBI, KENYA - Kenya's Co-operative Bank hopes its expansion at home and regionally will lift its performance this year, after an 11 percent increase in pretax profit in 2009, its managing director said on Thursday.

NAMIBIA - The most valuable lesson that Standard Bank Namibia learnt from the economic recession is that banking should be kept simple and that what affects the rest of the world, also affects Namibia.

Las Vegas, USA - Springboard Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management, a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, offers a free First-Time Homebuyer class where prospective homeowners can learn what to expect in the home buying process.

BRUSSELS – Eurofinas, the voice of specialised consumer credit providers at European level, has recently launched quarterly surveys of its members’ new lending business to track developments on the European consumer credit markets.

BRUSSELS – Eurofinas, the voice of specialised consumer credit providers at European level, has recently launched quarterly surveys of its members’ new lending business to track developments on the European consumer credit markets.

USA - Shares of several U.S. for-profit education providers fell Thursday, a day after the U.S. Department of Education released a draft report with proposed regulatory changes that could affect the companies.

BOTSWANA - Despite the decline in profits before tax, First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB) has reported a strong growth in the balance sheet due to the retail expansion and financing of property.