Today's News

WASHINGTON

National banks risk having their safety-and-soundness ratings downgraded if they do not improve the accuracy of CRA data, the OCC warned. Page 2

OTS DIRECTOR Ellen Seidman said the CRA should be updated to reflect changes in the way financial services are delivered. Page 4

MORTGAGES

High-lTV lenders are angling to make a comeback, with banks and other investors replacing hedge funds as buyers of their securities. Page 9

MORTGAGE TECHNOLOGY

The Internet has cut the cost of mortgage lending-and savings will eventually be passed on to consumers, an executive of a Florida on-line lender told the Housing Roundtable. Page 10

CARDS

AT&T prepaid telephone cards are being sold through some of PNC's automated teller machines. Page 15

NATIONAL/GLOBAL

The example set by top brass is crucial to making a merger work, BancWest's CEO says. Walter A. Dods Jr. says he and Don McGrath, of the old Bank of the West, "have gotten along really well, and if the rank and file know that, you have a chance of making this whole thing work." Page 7

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

INSURANCE: Underwriters have yet to develop adequate products for the bank channel, bankers and consultants say. Page 11

Bankers shopping for insurance agencies often focus on price when they should be assessing whether they have found a good match, experts at an industry conference said. Page 13

DIGITAL FRONTIERS

ELECTRONIC COMMERCE: Bankers have no more than two years to act if they are to prevent Internet portal companies from stealing their business, the CEO of Cybercash said. Page 16

TECHNOLOGY

PNC is offering a company-to-company electronic payments system for businesses of all sizes. Page 17

Bank One is the first banking company to implement a Web-based purchasing system resulting from an alliance of Microsoft, MasterCard, and Clarus. Page 17

MARKETS

American Express' chief executive officer said he would retire in two years - three years sooner than expected. Page 26

Shares of banks slipped another notch as bond market yields rose. Back page

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