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WASHINGTON: THE NATION's top two thrift companies have written a key lawmaker, challenging the ABA's claim that a 19-cent premium gap between the bank and thrift deposit insurance funds poses no immediate problems. H.F. Ahmanson & Co. CEO Charles R. Rinehart called the trade group's stance "self-serving." Page 2 WITH MORE BANKS taking advantage of a century-old law to cross state lines, a war of words has broken out between state and federal regulators. Page 4 REGIONAL BANKING: INTEREST RATE hikes hurt two northeastern regional banks reporting first- quarter results, while a third credited a decline in nonperforming assets and a more profitable loan mix for its 13% gain. Page 5 PARSIMONY and solid lending helped boost first-quarter earnings at two big West Coast banks reporting results, while a large California thrift suffered a decline due to rising interest rates. Page 6 CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs: CENTRAL BANKERS are turning their attention to the new breed of prepaid cards and their implications for monetary control. Page 7 COMMUNITY BANKING: BEING REPRESENTED by a former congressman is not necessarily good for banks, Paul Nadler writes. Page 9 INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: SCENARIOS outlined in comment letters from banks suggest what might happen should the National Association of Securities Dealers adopt unchanged its controversial plan to curtail investment sales practices on bank premises. Page 10 MORTGAGES: FANNIE MAE says the first quarter will prove to be the bottom of the mortgage market this year. David Berson, the agency's chief economist, says that even though the economy is slowing, homebuying and mortgage lending will rally for the rest of the year. Page 12 WITH SPRING homebuying on the rise and rates still relatively low, many mortgage companies' pipelines are filling up with loans. Page 12 TECHNOLOGY: TO IMPROVE service in its retail and commercial businesses, First Union Corp. is building a central data base for customer information. Page 15 FINANCE: AN ANALYST at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette upgraded his rating on J.P. Morgan & Co. stock, saying the "fear factor" is gone from the New York bank's shares. Back page BANK BOND spreads have continued to tighten throughout the first quarter, indicating that investors are no longer wringing their hands over interest rate hikes and Latin American exposure. Back page

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