Today's News

WEEKLY REPORT: INTERNATIONAL BREAKING WITH U.S. banking practice, Citicorp is providing loans and other products to medium-size Mexican companies. Page 10 As government support for banks wanes, analysts are clashing over what effect this should have on ratings for foreign banks. Page 10 COMMUNITY BANKING A former Michigan banker fighting the FDIC to get back in business has gotten some support from his home state. Page 7 One of Baltimore's last hometown banks would end an acquisition drought if its plan to buy a D.C.-area thrift succeeds. Page 7 REGIONAL BANKING NationsBank announced plans to grab for a bigger slice of the commercial mortgage securitization market. Page 8 KeyCorp's regional chief in the Northwest says he's resigning because the bank's reorganization has left him no role. Page 8 WASHINGTON Conceding that his wish to keep banks and commerce apart "isn't politically realistic," House Banking Committee Chairman Jim Leach urged limiting the size of such mergers. "If it seems that modest investment experimentation should be granted," he said, it must be "prudential." Page 2 LENDING fell or held steady last month, even though the economy continued to grow moderately, the Fed reported in its Beige Book. Page 2 MORTGAGES Lenders are under pressure to adopt new automation systems, and it's causing feuding at some firms. Page 12 INVESTMENT PRODUCTS Cigna has set its sights on the cream of banks' crop: private banking and trust clients in the most affluent regions. Page 14 CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs National Processing's chief executive officer quit, and the National City spinoff said earnings would be lower than analysts had expected. Page 16 TECHNOLOGY ON-LINE BANKING: Software companies are developing "push" technologies, which let Net users avoid tedious searches. Page 18 Fleet has unveiled its first banking program for personal computers. Page 19 MARKET MONITOR A war of legalities is breaking out as Ahmanson takes aim at the white- knight bid for Great Western. Back page Trading in options on bank stocks is dwindling, a sign that some traders think the sector is due for a slowdown. Back page