WASHINGTON Officials, lawyers, and consultants said they expect the Fed to keep loosening anti-tying laws, so banks can offer discounts to consumers who buy multiple products. Page 3
REGIONAL BANKING
Details of last year's megamerger deals are still being worked out, but already executives across the country with 20-plus years of banking experience are suddenly finding themselves out of work. Page 4
JAY SARLES, the Fleet vice chairman in charge of absorbing Natwest's U.S. retail operations, now hopes to cut operating expenses by $250 a million a year - 25% more than originally estimated. Some 1,800 jobs would be axed. Most of the savings would come from the processing side, but 30 branches are also to be closed. Page 5
COMMUNITY BANKING
Genesis Financial Partners, aggressive California hedge fund, is trying a new tactic with its latest thrift target - conciliation. Page 6
Insider lending seems to be making a comeback. In a survey, 82% of small banks said they lend to insiders - far more than just a few years ago, analysts say. Page 6
MORTGAGES
Huntington Bancshares in Ohio is supplying customers with software to size up mortgage alternatives and file applications from their own PCs. Page 8
California lenders, forced by years of economic slump to downsize or close shop, may be in for a break. 1996 looks like the turnaround year, experts say. Page 9
CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs
Lufthansa has launched a smart card to provide ticketless bookings for its best customers. Page 12
MasterCard is extending to all cardholders a no-shipping-fee deal for card purchases from participating catalogue merchants. Page 12
FINANCE
A Morgan-BankAmerica-Citi team and a Chase-Bank-Chemical group recently closed syndication of $14.8 billion in acquisition loans for Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Back page
Bank stocks sold off sharply Tuesday. Wall Street analysts cited a dearth of merger deals and an uptick in market interest rates. Back page
