WASHINGTON
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Phil Gramm has backed off plans to let banks engage in commercial activities, industry and Capitol Hill sources said. Page 2
COMMUNITY/REGIONAL
Banks need to prepare now if they want to survive the coming economic slowdown, industry experts warn. Page 8
MORTGAGES
Executives from smaller lenders say one key to their successhas been to ally with real estate salespeople. Page 10
The home equity and manufactured-housing securitization markets roared back in the last two weeks, with transactions totaling nearly $5 billion. Page 11
CARDS
Visa U.S.A. is among the first companies getting behind a new digital classification system for products sold over the Internet. Page 13
NATIONAL/GLOBAL
Executives at NationsBanc Montgomery Securities have big plans for BankAmerica's new securities subsidiary. Carter McClelland, Montgomery's senior managing director in charge of investment banking, says he wants to help create a "bulge bracket" securities firm within the nation's second- largest banking company. Page 4
DIGITAL FRONTIERS
Certicom appears to be strengthening its position as a supplier of security technologies for small computing devices and information appliances. Page 15
TECHNOLOGY
Security First Technologies reached a pinnacle, and not just in its stock price. It got new funding, new customers, and some strategic allies. Page 17
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS
On Balance, 1998 was a positive year for third-party providers of investment products through banks, a survey found. Page 18
MARKET MONITOR
Pressure on bank stocks in the United States and Europe may be signaling a coming chill in the economic climate. Page 29
