Financial/Banking

Munich, Germany - Contactless payment card shipments accelerated globally in 2013. According to figures released by the Smart Payment Association (SPA), contactless technologies were present on 37% of all smart payment cards shipped in 2013.

By far the greatest increase was experienced in the Asia Pacific region, where contactless shipments grew by 193%, compared to 2012. Other regions around the globe experienced strong growth rates, ranging from 45% in the Americas to 64% in Western Europe.

Sioux Falls, S.D. – A retail center is being planned for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. According to the Argus Leader, preliminary plans for the Market at Canyon Creek Development include two 17,000-sq.-ft. retail buildings and include a drug store, three restaurants and a bank.

Owner RMB Associates hopes to have the site developed by 2016. A Get N Go convenience store is also planned for the northeast corner of the site, which is owned by Olson Oil Co.

Build-A-Bear Workshop has appointed Michael Shaffer to the company’s board of directors.

Shaffer will serve as chairman of the audit committee and a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee. With Shaffer’s appointment, the board has eight members, six of whom, including Shaffer, are deemed independent by the board under New York Stock Exchange rules and other applicable regulations.

St. Louis -- Build-A-Bear Workshop said that Michael Shaffer has been appointed to the company’s board of directors.

Shaffer, 51, will serve as chairman of the audit committee and a member of the nominating and corporate governance committee. He is executive VP, COO and CFO for New York-based PVH Corp. where he oversees the retail division, treasury, corporate finance, information technology, and logistics services.

Atlanta - Consumer year-over-year spending growth of 4.1% gained momentum in April 2014 compared to the prior month’s growth of 3.1%, driven by warmer weather as well as the Easter shift into April this year, according to First Data SpendTrend analysis. The report, which tracks same-store point-of-sale data by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks from nearly four million merchant locations serviced by First Data, shows transaction growth of 3.5% in April,  compared to March’s 2.7% growth.

RadioShack is scaling back its plans to close 1,100 stores. In a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the retailer said its lenders are offering unacceptable terms for RadioShack to proceed with that many store closures. However, the company will still shutter a number of locations as part of its turnaround plan.
 

New York -- Ralph Lauren Corp. on Friday announced that Roger Farah, executive chairman, will retire at the end of May. He will remain on the company’s board until his terms expires in August. Farah, one of the retail industry’s most respected executives, is credited with turning Ralph Lauren into a global powerhouse.

Citi is now offering its checking account customers the ability to use reward points to pay their bills. Citi ThankYou Rewards members can earn ThankYou points across their Citi banking and credit card relationship and use these points to pay virtually any bill online including phone, cable and electricity.