Today's News

WASHINGTON

HOUSE BANKING Committee Chairman Jim Leach, with the industry's backing, has asked Republican leaders to schedule a floor vote on legislation capitalizing the thrift insurance fund. Page 2

NATIONAL BANKS involved in derivatives should expand their understanding of them, enhance independent oversight, bolster computer systems tracking the transactions, and pinpoint risks cropping up in emerging markets, an OCC executive says. Page 3

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

THE RAPID consolidation of the California banking market has spurred tiny Pacific Bank in San Francisco to compete again for the assets of the state's affluent consumers. Page 7

COMMUNITY BANKING

A TINY Southern California bank seeks a national bank charter, in a move to circumvent state officials blocking its plan to sell control to American Indians who also run a casino. Page 8

MERGER ACTIVITY among superregionals has been a catalyst for California's first "bankers' bank" - Pacific Coast Bankers' Bank, which has state and FDIC approvals and is raising capital from bank investors. Page 8

MORTGAGES

THE MORTGAGE industry is watching closely as lawyers hammer out a settlement of a nationwide class action against Ford's consumer finance unit. Page 11

CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs

NYCE CHIEF executive Richard P. Yanak will retire from the regional electronic banking network in October, after 23 years in the industry. "Dick is truly one of the outstanding leaders in this field - I'm disappointed with his decision to retire," said Robert H. Muth, a member of the NYCE executive committee. Dennis Lynch, chief operating officer, will succeed Mr. Yanak. Page 12

A MICHIGAN bank, First of America, has named a president of its retail delivery and card services division. Page 12

TECHNOLOGY

TRW has overhauled its credit bureau to provide more accurate information to banks. Among the changes, the system now categorizes data by identification number, instead of by name only. Page 14

FIRST UNION has completed a systems conversion on five million former First Fidelity accounts, a significant step in First Union's plan to cut the merged banks' operating costs by 45%. Page 14

FINANCE

BANK STOCKS rose amid one of the year's biggest bond rallies and news that the Fed is considering easing investment banking restrictions. Page 20

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