Today's News

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COMMUNITY

Setting its sights on customers put off by recent megamergers, a Pennsylvania banking company plans to double its branches in the next seven months. Page 5

The president and CEO of North Valley Bancorp resigned this month after disagreeing with directors on the Redding, Calif., company's strategic direction. Page 5

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

A yearend wrap-up of the bank investment products business highlights some of the year's big events and trends, and looks at what 1999 may hold. Page 6

Four executives discuss what it will take for companies to differentiate themselves as they pursue investors next year. Page 8

MORTGAGES

Computerized credit scoring has evolved since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac endorsed it in 1995. A Fair, Isaac manager said automated mortgage lending has extended the use of its scores. Page 10

REGIONAL

California's vulnerability to the international economic slowdown has not cooled the newfound aggressiveness of its midsize banks in international operations. "Some of the (Asian) countries that were down and out are coming back faster than expected," says Henry J. Jurgens of Sanwa Bank of California. "The pendulum is starting to swing back, and now is the time to get into this business." Page 4

DIGITAL FRONTIERS

ELECTRONIC COMMERCE: Global e-Commerce Forum, a 22-company group led by Hewlett-Packard and EDS, has thrown in its lot with the CommerceNet consortium. Page 13

Certicom and 14 other companies established a consortium to set technical standards for elliptic curve cryptography. Page 13

TECHNOLOGY

For the last four years, paralleling the rise of the Internet, Visa International has been in the venture capital spirit. Page 15

CARDS

Washington Mutual tapped Associates First Capital to launch and run a comprehensive credit card program. Page 16

American Express does not seem to have thwarted Chase Manhattan's plan to conduct a 19.5 million-piece direct mail campaign for a platinum credit card. Page 16

CORPORATE FINANCE

U.S. banks are back in the Latin American loan market now that new bailout and aid packages are stabilizing the region. Page 25

MARKETS

Investors should avoid purchasing Bankers Trust stock until receiving clearer indications that it will be indeed be bought by Deutsche Bank, an analyst said. Back page

LETTERS Page 24

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