WASHINGTON
Jim Leach, chairman of the House banking panel, plans to give the Treasury a "narrow menu" of options from which to design a plan to repair the thrift insurance fund. Page 2
The Treasury Department will remain closed until next week after a fire did extensive damage to its 160-year-old building. Page 2
REGIONAL BANKING
Hibernia Corp. announced a deal that would return it to Texas after a four-year absence, but officials said the agreement did not signal a major buildup. Page 3
COMMUNITY BANKING
Community First Bankshares has a deal to buy Mountain Parks Financial, a $500 million-asset Denver bank that would more than double its Colorado assets. Page 4
A Connecticut thrift has issued a stock dividend in order to shake loose some shares for its 15% stock buyback, which has languished. Page 4
CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs
A Brazilian bank has become the first in the world to agree to issue a credit card with the American Express brand name. Ban-co de Credito Nacional, Brazil's sixth-largest bank, will begin issuing personal and gold versions of the card in mid-Septem-ber and will control its features and benefits. The bank-issued cards will be processed through American Express' merchant network. Further deals are expected. Page 10
Toronto Dominion and Bank of Montreal announced plans to test a Belgian smart card program in an Ontario college town. Page 10
MORTGAGES
When Standard Federal proposed a suburb-like subdivision within Detroit, builders balked, but the thrift persisted - and won. Page 6
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS
State Street Global Advisors, a major player in retirement planning, has begun an image campaign it hopes will give it more clout. Page 9
Twentieth Century will soon tempt banks to sell more of its mutual funds by paying them through the expense ratios of several new share classes. Page 9
TECHNOLOGY
Banks' use of mainframe systems continues to burgeon, despite the obsession with personal computers. Page 12
Banks may find uses for the Art Loss Register, an electronic data base of 75,000 stolen artworks. Page 12
FINANCE
NationsBank and First Union, whose explosive growth helped transform Charlotte, N.C., into a commercial banking hub in the 1980s, are now in a massive investment banking buildup. Page 18
Excess capital among banks may become just a memory, an analyst says, because nonperforming loans are likely to rise soon. Back page
