Today's News

SMALL BUSINESS: IN THE FIGHT for small business customers, banks are increasingly turning to how-to publications to get the attention of advice-starved entrepreneurs. Page 8 LOAN OFFICERS should be trained to deal more fairly with women business owners, says consultant Virginia Kirkpatrick. Page 9 WASHINGTON: THE COMMUNITY Reinvestment Act may be the first regulation to come under the scrutiny of a working group formed by Senate Republicans to reevaluate burdensome banking rules. Page 3 REGIONAL BANKING: MELLON CORP.'S profits were off 70% in the fourth quarter, in part because of charges related to repairing the securities lending business at Boston Co. Page 4 BANK OF NEW YORK said it agreed to buy the corporate trust business of Meridian Trust Co. of California for an undisclosed sum. Page 4 FIFTH THIRD Bancorp said fourth-quarter earnings reached $64.7 million, a 19.6% leap from restated results of a year ago. Another Cincinnati company, Provident Bancorp, said its income rose 12%, to $14.9 million. Page 4 COMMUNITY BANKING: Western Family National Bank is hardly the family it used to be since its owners were booted from banking by the Comptroller's office. Page 13 MORTGAGES: WHOLESALE lending is shrinking, like everything else. But don't count it out just yet. Page 16 PAINEWEBBER economist Maury Harris expects the Fed to raise short-term interest rates by another 75 basis points in the first quarter, but says a "meaningful slowdown" in real economic growth "should preclude further increases later in the spring. Pge 16 INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: A BANKING veteran wants to change the way third-party marketing firms help banks sell investment products. Page 22 KEYPORT LIFE Insurance Co. has started pitching a single-premium annuity whose yield is pegged to the Standard & Poor's index of 500 stocks. Page 22 CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs: CONSUMER ADVOCATES who have in the past argued with each other have come together to produce a brochure for consumers on how to overcome financial difficulties. Page 10 SIGNATURE GROUP has signed a three-year contract to provide GE Card Services cardholders fee-based club and supplemental insurance products. Page 10 TECHNOLOGY: LINDA ELWOOD, Chase Manhattan's vice president of corporate technology and information services, expects a new training program in ergonomics to boost productivity. Page 20 FINANCE: MEXICO'S currency crisis could ultimately help bank stocks if it prompts the Fed's monetary managers to defer or temper a further rate increase this month. Page 2 6

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