WASHINGTON
COMPTROLLER Eugene A. Ludwig said national banks entering certain low- and moderate-income census tracts will not have to pay branching or chartering fees. Page 4
FDIC INSPECTOR General Gaston L. Gianni Jr. spends his time evaluating how well the agency does its job. Page 4
REGIONAL BANKING
CALIFORNIA BANKERS mobilized their forces against a ballot initiative that would make it easier for investors to sue companies for fraud. Page 6
TWO BANK compensation studies confirmed that salaries for bank specialists in big cities are on the rise. Page 7
COMMUNITY BANKING
SEAWAY NATIONAL of Chicago, the country's largest black-owned bank, has taken up a position uncommon among community banks - loan syndicator for some of the biggest companies in America. Page 8
JEFFERSON SAVINGS of St. Louis signed an agreement for its fifth acquisition in Texas, bringing its assets to over a third in the Lone Star State. Page 8
MORTGAGES
AMERIN'S PRESIDENT will vacate the helm of the Chicago company at yearend. Page 10
HUD IS trying to reduce loan fraud in its FHA program by promising lighter penalties to lenders who police themselves and report problems voluntarily. Page 11
INVESTMENT PRODUCTS
INSURANCE: Chase Manhattan is using hospitality to draw attention to its insurance operation with a quarterly open house at select branches. Page 12
THE EXECUTIVE who has been running Northern Trust's highly successful Florida unit has been freed of those duties to focus on expanding its private banking business. Page 14
CREDIT/DEBIT/ATMs
DESPITE RECENT increases in credit card delinquencies and chargeoffs, several industry leaders have strengthened their market positions, an annual American Banker survey shows. Of the top 50 institutions in the bank card business, eight increased their managed loans by more than 30% in the 12 months through last March 31. The largest growth rates came from card lending specialists. Page 18
TECHNOLOGY
PNC BANK signed a five-year contract with a wholesale electronic catalogue firm to jointly develop payment capabilities for businesses that shop on-line. Page 23
CYBERCASH LAUNCHED an electronic "coin" for making small purchases on the Internet and named five banks that have agreed to offer it to customers. Page 24
FINANCE
A WALL STREET analyst thumbed his nose at recent efforts by regulators to make banks disclose to investors how they use derivatives. Page 30
THRIFT STOCKS left other financial stocks in the dust last week, and Wall Street analysts doubt they'll run out of gas any time soon. Back page
