ROBERT ALBERTSON, banking analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co., is confident that banks won't be hurt by credit card losses - but he said loan growth could be a problem. Mr. Albertson was a participant in the American Banker's quarterly analysts roundtable. See page 22.
WASHINGTON:
THE REGULATORY backlash from the Daiwa debacle may force some foreign banks to shut down their U.S. branches, according to bank consultants and lawyers. Page 2
SMART SHOPPING, not government regulation, is the best way to protect consumers from mounting credit card debt, Fed Governor Lawrence B. Lindsey said. Page 2
REGIONAL BANKING:
A SERIES of senior management changes and departures at Citicorp has some analysts confused over where the nation's biggest banking company is heading. Page 4
A RECENT SURVEY by the New Jersey banking department found that an "overwhelming majority" of the state's businesses support legislative changes that would allow foreign banks to operate there. Page 4
COMMUNITY BANKING:
COMMUNITY BANKERS will be looking at a whole new landscape in correspondent banking after several pending megamergers are consummated early next year. Page 7
MORTGAGES:
TWO KEY MEMBERS of the House Banking Committee are threatening congressional action if Freddie Mac does not reverse a decision to raise its loan limit to
$207,000 for 1996. Page 15
MORTGAGE INSURERS are racking up their best volume and profits ever but could be riding for a fall in the not-too-distant future, a new study finds. Page 15
CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs:
REGROUPING after a legal setback, Transactive Corp. has signed a letter of intent with the Illinois Department of Public Aid to equip and service its statewide electronic benefits transfer system. Page 13
MELLON Network Services has renewed and expanded an agreement to provide ATM and debit card processing services to AT&T Global Information Solutions' banking customers. Page 12
TECHNOLOGY:
CITICORP is reportedly close to joining Edibanx, the fledgling clearing house network for financial electronic data interchange payments. Page 16
SWIFT, the Brussels-based financial messaging concern, said it plans to reduce the fees on its service by an average of 30%. Page 17