To show how competition has stiffened in the financial services industry, media often relies on a one-dimensional model - quotes from bankers and fund managers.
That has become a bit tiresome, so let's take a look from the consumer's side of the fence.
For government staff and budget watchers, the week's biggest news has to be the Court of Final Appeal's milestone verdict legitimising last year's cuts in civil servants' salaries.
The decision, which saved the government almost $10 billion in repayments to its 160,000 staff, turned out to have implications for - of all people - the fund management industry.
Top officials told Money Week that before the court ruling, they had been hounded by fund house sales staff who had sniffed potential payouts of more than $100,000 for some civil servants.
rate-based hard sell
