Derrick Penner
Sun
Google, the giant of Internet search engines, has launched a Canadian version of its Google Finance website to challenge rivals such as Yahoo in the field of business information.
Google knew Canadians wanted a nation-specific Internet information source because they formed the second-biggest group of users on its American website, according to Google software engineer Dion Loy.
Loy added that in user surveys, “the No. 1 request [from non-U.S. users] was ‘give us something localized in our own country,’ “
Google launched Google Finance Canada Wednesday. Google Finance U.S. went online in 2006.
“It’s an important product for Google,” Loy said. “It’s only been around for a year-and-a-half, but it’s showing very good growth and picking up a lot of steam.”
Loy added that Google has tried to make its site stand out by putting in interactive stock charts that link big moves in stock prices to news about significant events, and adding information about mutual funds.
