The experimentation has begun in ways you would expect. For example, insurance companies have long thought that the trust and fiduciary powers of banks would offer them an opportunity to manage insurance payouts and other assets of large estates. And a few banking organizations are experimenting with manufacturing the insurance products they deliver. These trial runs need time to work themselves out.
Also, with interest rates low, the incentives for capital expenditure in the tax code in place until late 2004, and prices for high-tech goods still falling, the cost of capital should remain low. Over the longer run, the continuing rapid pace of technological innovation implies that there are many potential investments that offer attractive returns.