Today's News

WASHINGTON

THE NATIONAL Association of Attorneys General blasted the financial reform bill in a draft of a letter to House and Senate negotiators. Page 2

LAWMAKERS RETURN Wednesday with eight weeks to enact bills to transform financial and bankruptcy laws, tweak the tax code, and bail out farmers. Page 4

NATIONAL/GLOBAL

SUCCESSFUL BANKERS can come from walks of life far removed from banking. Page 6

SHORTLY BEFORE Bank One's stock fell on news that the company would miss its earnings target because of problems in its First USA division, a founder of First USA sold about $3 million worth of shares. Page 7

COMMUNITY/REGIONAL Page 8

MORTGAGES

INVESTORS are shying away from mortgage-backed securities despite a strong housing market and declining prepayment rates. Page 10

TECHNOLOGY

ALLTEL Information Services' deal to buy Southern Data may signal a growing commitment to the community-bank market. Page 14

ENTRUST Technologies has won a bank data security job in China that may eventually make all others seem small in comparison. Page 15

ON-LINE BANKING

NET.BANK LAUNCHED a national radio advertising campaign as part of an $8 million marketing effort. Page 16

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

A BANK BUYING an insurance agency can be a marriage made in heaven, if the potential culture clashes are addressed ahead of time, a marketing consultant writes. Page 20

JOHN HANCOCK has created a suite of variable annuities meant to provide protection against the cost of care for the elderly. Page 22

MARKET MONITOR

THE VALUE of bank stocks held by the industry's top 25 institutional investors rose 8.1% in the second quarter, according to an American Banker survey. Page 37

BANK OF AMERICA's shares have fallen about 17% in two months, the biggest drop among the money-center banks. Page 38