Today's News

WASHINGTON

Examiner confidence in the health of real estate markets nationwide has rebounded this spring, the FDIC said. Its market trend survey showed the largest quarterly gain in six years. Page 2

NATIONAL/GLOBAL

The lure of Internet start-ups is thinning the employee roster at on- line operations of banking companies, search firm executives say. Page 5

The $1 trillion-a-year syndicated lending market may finally be getting something from Wall Street that it has sorely lacked: respect. Page 7

COMMUNITY/REGIONAL

A law meant to keep Illinois-chartered banks and thrifts up to speed with those chartered in other states is close to adoption. Page 9

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

INSURANCE: FirstMerit is getting into commercial insurance through a joint venture with an independent insurance agency. Page 10

MORTGAGES

Fannie Mae has sent a warning to the Federal Home Loan banks that it intends to protect its secondary market turf. Page 15

A California on-line mortgage company is going international. E-Loan has joined with Group Arnault of Paris to start E-Loan Europe. Page 16

TECHNOLOGY

Several large banks successfully completed a year-2000 compliance test of Automatic Data Processing's direct deposit services. Page 18

DIGITAL FRONTIERS

Merrill Lynch is sticking to a strategy that promotes personal relationships with on-line customers, a more costly choice than others are taking. Page 19

MARKET MONITOR

Providian shares pulled out of a tailspin after the company announced an enhanced customer satisfaction program. Page 31

First Union was scrambling to clarify a comment by its CEO that his company may reduce its branch network by 75%. Page 39