review of financial institutions on the internet
Advance Bank
ANZ Bank
BT Funds Management
Colonial State Bank
Commonwealth Bank
Macquarie Bank
National Australia Bank
National Mutual
PriorityOne
St George
Westpac Banking Corporation
Advance Bank http://www.advance.com.au
The Advance Bank was one of the first banks on the internet in Australia. Their site is the only site to provide internet based banking including funds transfer, printing and the ability to pay bills or transfer funds to pre-registered accounts. There is also a useful loans calculator and details on the fund management arm, bank financial results and economic news.
ANZ Bank http://www.anz.com.au
This site details contacts details for ANZ Bank worldwide and a locator for all 1200 plus branches and ATM machines Australia-wide. The site also contains a loan calculator, in this case, estimating how much you can borrow based on your monthly income and how much your repayments are for loans. There are also sections for business banking and a foreign exchange table.
BT Funds Management - http://www.btfunds.com.au/
BT have a professional, well designed site with fast response. The content is good with sections for the investor, advisor, companies and what's new. Interestingly, every section channels you through a disclaimer page concerning "no guarantee of performance" and "accuracy of information".
The investor section has daily updated unit prices for: BT Lifetime Trust, BT Split Trust, BT Select Markets Trust, BT Select Bond Trust, BT Hi-Yield Trust, BT Lump Sum Super Fund, BT Retirement Selection - Personal Super Plan, BT Retirement Selection - Retirement Pension Plan. There is also a interactive mortgage calculator.
Colonial State Bank http://www.sbnsw.com.au
Details the Bank's facilities and locations including a search engine to find branches and ATMs. The highlight of the site is a comprehensive and up-to-date economic news section with a good range of economic indicators.
Commonwealth Bank http://www.commbank.com.au
Well designed and comprehensive. Details on the Bank's services and facilities plus very wide ranging economic and financial research with daily, weekly and quarterly updates. Good email and interactive features to request information. Overall the best site reviewed.
Macquarie Bank - http://www.macquarie.com.au/
The Macquarie Bank site is also comprehensive and useful. It provides a weekly update of Australian financial markets as well as an overview of their professional services like personal finance, services for corporations and institutions They have an "Inner Circle" members only section which gives on-line access to Company Research reports, Daily Market reports and ASX stock prices updated on an hourly basis.
National Australia Bank http://www.national.com.au
This site is good looking with a lot of effort gone into artwork and design but is shallow with little real content - basically the site is an on-line marketing brochure.
National Mutual
A well designed site with details about the companies activities, a series of calculators and an interesting and impressive interactive game.
PriorityOne http://www.priorityone.com.au/
This is the only site that allows you to complete an application form on-line. There is also an excellent loan calculator and contact details for the company.
St George http://www.stgeorge.com.au
This site is also a little shallow on content and is poorly designed in places but it has far and away the most sophisticated loan calculator of any of the sites reviewed. The St George calculator allows you to calculate up to 4 loan options with variable interest rates and repayment terms and presents them on a graph for you to print. The site also has a Median Home Price Guide for Australia (from the REIA) plus free Home Loan Manager software to download.
Westpac Banking Corporation http://www.westpac.com.au
Perhaps the largest of all the sites reviewed but basically an on-line marketing brochure. Limited economic statistics, a very ordinary loan calculator and lots of details about Westpac services.
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