Today's News

CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs: THE LEADING players in travelers checks are taking different roads toward maintaining profitablility in the still-viable business. Page 14 WASHINGTON: BOWING to pressure from major banks, an international supervisory body proposed to let bankers judge their own exposures to market risk rather than use regulatory formulas. Page 2 CLAIMING the future of checking accounts is at stake, banking trade groups are imploring a Louisiana appellate court to overturn a verdict holding two banks liable for an individual's fraudulent actions. Page 2 REGIONAL BANKING: SUNTRUST BANKS Inc. posted earnings of $136 million for the first quarter, up 7% from a year earlier. But its net interest margin shrank, due largely to tough competition in deposit pricing and adjustable rate mortgages. Page 5 THE ATLANTA FED is stepping up its surveillance of Latin banks in the United States in view of economic instability in Mexico and other Latin countries. Page 5 COMMUNITY BANKING: A year's worth of austerity has propelled Eldorado Bancorp into the top ranks of southern California community banks, proof that biting the bullet on costs can pay off. Page 6 ANOTHER institutional investor has joined the fray in the ongoing proxy battle at Georgia's largest thrift company - criticizing a program that allows nine senior executives to buy stock with interest free loans. Page 6 COMPLIANCE: LESS THAN FOUR months after a community group labeled it one of the five worst lenders in the country, Chase Manhattan is reporting a dramatic increase in mortgage lending to minorities. Page 8 COMPLYING WITH the Expedited Funds Availability Act is costing the banking industry millions of dollars in increased check fraud, according to industry experts. Page 9 MORTGAGES: DESPITE a sharp drop in loan volumes, Fannie Mae's earnings were up 9% in the first quarter, to $554.5 million. Page 12 INVESTMENT PRODUCTS: BANKS NEED to take a fresh look at how they package and market individual retirement accounts, or risk losing additional IRA market share to brokerage firms, according to some experts. Page 13 TECHNOLOGY: IF BANKERS are feeling pressured to join the Internet, the responsibility - or blame - may rest with a recent rash of conferences and seminars. Page 16 FINANCE: SMITH BARNEY analyst Henry C. Dickson upgraded Star Banc Corp. to "outperform" from "neutral." Back page T. ROWE PRICE, the mutual fund giant, is suing Oppenheimer & Co. for underwriting last year's unsuccessful rights offering by the now defunct Guardian Bancorp. Back page