WASHINGTON
The government must prepare for the expansion of electronic banking, but excessive regulation would stifle innovation, Comptroller Eugene Ludwig said. Page 2
Bank loan demand increased slightly this spring, and delinquency rates leveled off, the Federal Reserve reported. Page 2
COMMUNITY BANKING
An insurgent shareholder has filed to raise his stake in a small Michigan thrift, SJS Bancorp, and nominate more directors after rejecting two peace offers. Page 6
California's Valley Bank opened a Small Business Administration lending office in Portland, Ore., last month to get away from its crowded home market. Page 6
COMPLIANCE
Carmen Sullivan, director of compliance and consumer affairs at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., hopes to make regulation easier on bankers. Page 8
Trying to keep state banks from switching charters, Florida regulators have served up a plan they think will simplify exams for banks that branch across state lines. Page 9
REGIONAL BANKING
Jonathan Palmer, Barnett Banks' technology guru and retail banking head, has resigned to take the helm of a start-up consulting company called Wellspring Resources in Jacksonville, Fla. The departure of the highly regarded Mr. Palmer, who is 53, came as a surprise, given his key role in improving Barnett's operating efficiency. Page 4
New England's big regional banks are fighting in the Legislature over a provision in interstate branching "opt in" legislation that would increase the maximum deposit market share per bank to 30%. Page 4
MORTGAGES
Norwest Mortgage has assumed the top spot among mortgage lenders by a comfortable margin with the closing of its acquisition of Prudential Home Mortgage. Page 13
Dealers are close to pricing the first major mortgage-backed strip issue in almost two years that uses new collateral. Page 12
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS
Seeking to beef up its presence with bank brokerages, Federated Investors has snared a top salesman from Colonial Group, a rival mutual fund company. Page 15
TECHNOLOGY
Consumer acceptance of PC home banking will come more slowly than has been widely forecast, a recent study by Mentis suggests. Page 16
Boeing Employees' Credit Union has added an on-line loan feature to its PC home banking service. Page 18
CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs
Standard & Poor's said it expects the upward trend in chargeoff rates at the major credit card companies to continue. Page 20
Retail payments systems don't present the kinds of problems for risk management that large-volume systems do, writes H. Robert Heller. Page 21
FINANCE
Three members of Mellon Bank's rate risk management group resigned to join Pittsburgh rival PNC, industry sources said. Back page
Mercantile Bancorp.'s first-quarter earnings report has spurred analysts to cut 1996 earnings estimates. Back page
