American Banker Launches RateAlert

Free email newsletter delivering daily, local competitive interest rate data for financial professionals

New York, NY – March 15, 2006 – American Banker, the banking and financial services industry’s premier daily newspaper published by SourceMedia, today announced the launch of “RateAlert.” RateAlert is a free email-based news service that delivers local competitor interest rates and specials. American Banker has partnered with Datatrac, a market research and information technology company specializing in the financial industry, in this endeavor.

RateAlert tracks rate changes and specials from institutions in specified markets for products chosen by the user. Loan officers in Cleveland could receive a daily update of changes in consumer loan or mortgage rates for banks and credit unions in Cleveland; an executive on the deposit pricing committee for a community bank in Spokane would receive deposit/CD rates and specials for institutions in Spokane, and a CFO interested in investing could receive rates and specials for Jumbo CDs nationwide.

RateAlert covers 175 metropolitan and rural markets throughout the United States. Users can choose products such as retail deposits, mortgages, auto loans, home equity loans, credit cards, and jumbo CDs. RateAlert subscribers can graphically benchmark their own rates against peer organizations.

“In less than a minute each day, subscribers can catch the day’s banking headlines, product specials and rate changes from financial institutions across the street and across the nation. RateAlert is a must read for any financial professional wanting to stay current and competitive,” said Kenneth C. Wanek, president & CEO of Datatrac. “Datatrac is excited to partner with American Banker to deliver such a timely, informative service.”

“RateAlert will assist our subscribers in keeping track of rate trends in their markets. Our advertisers can leverage this to accomplish their branding and lead generation goals in specific markets. By providing daily exposure to senior-level banking decision makers, RateAlert provides a new opportunity to target financial professionals geographically and by banking product interest,” said Bruce Morris, publisher of American Banker.

American Banker’s RateAlert is a free service offered to subscribers and non-subscribers of American Banker Online (www.americanbanker.com). Anyone can subscribe to RateAlert by visiting www.americanbanker.com/ratealert.