The latest quarterly edition of the Payments Newsletter from Financial Insights (PDF) is now available. This edition looks at BerkShares, a local currency in western Massachusetts. "The main idea of BerkShares is to keep money in the local community by encouraging residents to spend with local businesses. The exchange rate on BerkShares results in an effective 10% discount on everything bought with the currency, but it may only be used at businesses that accept it."

MasterCard has announced the first MasterCard PayPass pilot programme in Italy, in partnership with Poste Italiane – business unit Banco Posta.

This morning's Heard on the Street column by the Wall St. Journal's Robin Sidel reports on American Express - saying that some investers are concerned "that the company is increasing its exposure to consumers at a time when some of them may have trouble paying their bills."

First Data International has announced an agreement to acquire Check Forte, a Brazilian provider of data capture, switching and POS terminal management as well as network processing services to banks for bill payment transactions initiated at off-premises merchant locations.

• Global Payments Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2007 Earnings
• Ingenico, Sagem in talks to merge electronic payment activities