Today's News

WASHINGTON

Today's House floor debate on financial reform is not expected to be contentious. "The strategy of the leadership has been to get these issues resolved in the Rules Committee, not on the floor," a lobbyist said. Page 2

The Minnesota attorney general's office settled its three-week-old customer privacy lawsuit against U.S. Bancorp, which will pay $3 million. Page 3

NATIONAL/GLOBAL

Leveraged lending is setting a breakneck pace, jumping 7.5% through the first half of 1999 compared to the record of a year earlier. Page 4

U.S. Bancorp said it would buy the investment banking unit of asset manager John Nuveen, bulking up its municipal bond operations. Page 5

COMMUNITY/REGIONAL

Firstfed Financial, a California thrift, found another bank in its own hometown to help build its commercial lending business. Page 7

Webster Financial, a Connecticut thrift company, joined the flock of midsize New England institutions to make deals since the Fleet-BankBoston announcement. James Smith, Webster's CEO, says buying New England Community Bancorp will bring strength in business banking. Page 7

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

Opportunities for banks in the retirement market are better than ever, writes Cynthia J. Roggenkamp of Universal Pensions. Page 8

Banks did a good job reeling in assets reinvested from retirement plans in 1997 and 1998. Page 9

DIGITAL FRONTIERS

ON-LINE BANKING: Mexico's only Internet-based bank has something most of its U.S. counterparts are still searching for-impressive profits. Page 10

Electronic Data Systems is promoting Internet-based banking software to help insurance companies broaden their financial service products. Page 10

TECHNOLOGY

Though instances of fictitious banks bilking customers over the Internet are rare, regulators expect the problem to worsen. Page 11

MORTGAGES

The industry is focusing on what may be its next money tree: the movement to build and maintain homes in an environmentally sound way. Page 14

MARKETS

Newcourt Credit said that talks are continuing with prospective acquirer CIT, and it expects its second-quarter results to meet the merger conditions. Page 22

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