WASHINGTON
Rallies were planned today in a dozen U.S. cities to protest HUD policies that a consumer group blames for a sharp rise in foreclosures. Page 2
REGIONAL
Debt refinancing and merger-related charges created a fourth-quarter loss of $55 million at Golden State Bancorp, the company said. But analysts were pleased with the results. Page 5
COMMUNITY
Heritage Commerce of San Jose, Calif., named a new chairman to help spearhead its expansion efforts in the Bay Area. Page 7
CARDS
A Citigroup UNIT, already the dominant processor of electronic benefits transactions, beat out Deluxe for a contract awarded by Maryland. Page 13
TECHNOLOGY
Electronic bill payment, overshadowed by the hype about electronic bill presentment, is getting renewed attention. Page 14
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS
the CEO of DLJ Direct has a long agenda, but morphing the firm into a bank is not on it. Page 16
CORPORATE FINANCE
Mary Watkins, head of loan syndications for J.P. Morgan, is now running the bank's private-client business in Palm Beach, Fla., a spokesman said. Page 25
Cullen/Frost Bankers, which would become the second-smallest U.S. banking company with a securities subsidiary, plans to provide equities and other capital markets products to Texas companies. Page 25
MARKETS
PNC Shares should hit $59 within 12 months as the company culls earnings from faster-growing, high-return businesses, a Merrill Lynch analyst says. Page 26
Some of the largest banks surged back into the market to repurchase their shares during the fourth quarter, reversing the downward trend of recent quarters, market experts said. Back page