Today's News

FUTUREBANKING

A START-UP, Home Financial Network, is bidding to set the pace in the rush to make home banking appeal to the mass market. Pullout section

COMMUNITY BANKING

RONALD JONES has been a farmer and software entrepreneur, but now he says he could be of most use as a local banker in Twin Falls, Idaho. Page 4

REGIONAL BANKING

WASHINGTON MUTUAL may have resolved an accounting issue that could have killed its merger deal with California's American Savings. Page 8

SMALL BUSINESS

AN ILLINOIS UNIT of First of America had done no export financing for small companies before it found an SBA program to back $800,000 of inventory financing. Page 11

MARKET MONITOR

STOCKS of independent Connecticut banks and thrifts have swelled in value after a spate of mergers. Page 25

FINANCE

Syndicated lending volume soared to $253 billion in the second quarter, shattering the previous mark of $228 billion, set in the second quarter of last year. Back page