Today's News

COMMUNITY BANKING Leaders of mutuals are used to hearing them described as a dying breed. But occasionally they rise in passionate defense. Page 5 TECHNOLOGY Some bankers are rethinking their opposition to regulating smart cards and digital cash. Page 6 Online Resources named a former ABA president as senior vice president responsible for helping client banks with remote banking. Page 6 Electronic Data Systems inked a deal to provide electronic brokerage support services to Electronic Broking Services' foreign exchange network. Page 8 CORPORATE FINANCE A NEW YORK turnaround artist uses his banking background to help fix troubled or underperforming companies. Page 9 Now that Toronto Dominion has wrapped up a $1.75 billion financing for Evergreen Media's purchase of Chancellor Broadcasting, Chancellor has some refinancing of its own to do. Page 9 MORTGAGES Banks are using home equity loans to feed consumers' growing appetite for credit. Last year banks expanded their home equity lending by 25%, to $112.3 billion. The jump occurred while overall consumer lending--auto, first mortgage, home equity, and credit card--rose just 17%. Page 12 Norwest Mortgage, already the largest servicer of home mortgages, aims to make its subprime division a dominant servicer of B and C loans. Page 12 Lenders are turning to the mail and telephone as cheap ways of marketing all kinds of mortgages--prime, subprime, and home equity loans. Page 12 Despite having lost its majority investor, City Auto Resource Services says it is moving ahead with its innovative auto financing framework. Page 13 REGIONAL BANKING Loan growth and improved margins paved the way for solid first-quarter earnings at many midsize regional banks in the Southeast. Page 11 Richard D. Field, head of retail banking at Bank of New York, will retire next month. Page 11 INVESTMENT PRODUCTS Financial planner Anthony Moore, owner of Zoe Financial Group in Georgia, says he uses the Bible to inspire his money management strategies. Page 17 MARKET MONITOR Bank stocks led a broad market rally as investors gained fresh confidence that interest rates are not heading higher. Back page

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