Today's News

WASHINGTON

THE OCC advised national banks to institute risk management systems for credit derivatives, a new breed of instruments designed to reduce a bank's exposure to loan concentration risk. Page 2

REGIONAL BANKING

FROM MIAMI to Los Angeles to Chicago and New York, banks are beefing up branches with bilinguals to capture a bigger share of the fast-growing Hispanic market. Page 6

AN INVESTMENT unit of Bankers Trust New York is acquiring a minority stake in one of Australia's largest media companies. Page 7

COMMUNITY BANKING

IN A LAWSUIT, Douglas M. Lester, the Trans Financial chief executive who was fired two months ago, charged that the Kentucky bank breached his employment contract. Page 8

FOR SOME start-ups, it's a simple matter of location, location, location - one that a would-be buyer might find intriguing. But the most important reason banks are formed is that their organizers honestly feel there is a need for a new bank and that it will make money, Paul Nadler writes. Page 8

MORTGAGES

HOME EQUITY lending is heating up, and new companies and expanding old- timers are hiring experienced employees at all levels. Page 10

... and THE musical chairs in the industry has Wall Street abuzz. Page 10

INVESTMENT PRODUCTS

INSURANCE: Banc One has formed a partnership with Manufacturers Life Insurance to sell estate-planning products to the bank's affluent clients. Page 12

ITT Hartford Life led the way in annuity sales through banks for the third straight year in 1995, topping $1.8 billion. Aegon Insurance Group in Iowa placed second. Page 13

CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs

EQUIFAX is trying to win over a new generation of consumers by teaching them to be responsible for their credit histories. Page 18

AMERICAN EXPRESS hired Richard K. Goeltz as vice chairman and chief financial officer. The former finance chief of Natwest Group in London since 1992, Mr. Goeltz said he had to choose between staying at a bank that has successfully "focused its resources in areas where it could be a winner," and moving to a company that holds "the world's most respected service brand." Page 19

TECHNOLOGY

BANKS EXPECT to spend an average of $318,000 for outsourcing in 1996, 3.2% more than last year, despite a smaller customer base. Even greater expenditures are predicted for 1997, a study says. Page 20

M&A REVIEW

MERGER SURFERS in California think they've finally caught the perfect wave. If the pattern of mergers in other states holds, an analyst says, the Golden State's remaining big thrifts could suddenly command lofty prices. Page 25

FINANCE

TWO CALIFORNIA banks became the object of takeover rumors after their stock prices surged more than 15% on heavy volume last week. Page 32

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