la Caixa launches an application that tracks stock markets using music

la Caixa Stock Music complements the services offered to investors via the bank's mobile channel

• The volume of music stored on a mobile device will increase or decreases based on market performance.
• The application, the first of its kind worldwide, is an experiment in developing new financial services.

"la Caixa" has launched "la Caixa" Stock Music, the first ever mobile application that tracks stock markets using music. The new app indicates how stocks are performing using the music that each user has stored on their mobile device, with the music volume varying according to how markets perform.

"la Caixa" Stock Music keeps users current with the stock market situation and saves them from having to constantly check the application: gains or losses for a stock or index will be indicated in changes to the volume of the music they are listening to. The data is updated every 15 minutes, during which time the volume remains unchanged; when new data is received the volume is adjusted automatically.

Users can choose which stock or index they wish to follow; the application can access all the leading international stock markets. The new app also provides data via tables and graphs especially tailored to the mobile interface.

"la Caixa" has developed the application for the Android operating system. The new app is now available for free download from the Android Market app store as well as CaixaMóvil Store, the "la Caixa" applications store.

Driving innovation in financial applications

The bank, with Isidro Fainé as Chairman and Juan María Nin as CEO, has created "la Caixa" Stock Music, the first such application anywhere in the world, as an experiment in the development of financial applications and to sustain its track record of innovating services that are unprecedented in the market, but services that offer customers benefits via new technologies.

"la Caixa" Stock Music complements existing investor and stock market tracking applications. The bank currently offers its Bolsa Abierta service, which allows users to operate and monitor international stock markets, in versions compatible with practically the entire range of "smartphones" (Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, etc.).  There are also versions of Bolsa Abierta for iPad, designed for optimal use of graphical data.

"la Caixa": 4 million downloads of its more than 60 applications

"la Caixa" currently has the largest number of mobile banking users in Spain, with more than 2.6 million customers using mobile services (including alerts, enquiries and transaction services via mobile devices). The more than 60 applications provided by the bank have been downloaded 4 million times. The applications are available for free via CaixaMóvil Store, the bank's own applications store, as well as download stores run by the leading manufacturers.