The company could be at risk for some of the coverage if any card holders took advantage of the situation, American Banker reported.

"Congressman Oxley and I apparently have a checkered history," American Banker reported Mr. Spitzer as saying.

Bankers report that while foreign deposits have begun to trickle back in, the refusal by most Latin American nations to recognize the new Government has made lending hard.

Under the move, Bankers Trust will take fewer equity stakes in the loans its finances, a practice the bank had emphasized earlier, The American Banker, an industry newspaper, reported.

Bankers were reporting more demand for home mortgage loans.

Bankers also reported that Venezuela has reached agreement with the committee representing its commercial creditors on revisions to a $21 billion debt-rescheduling package signed last year.

Bankers who participated in the talks reported last night that substantial progress had been made on an agreement that would give Mr. Trump the fresh cash he needs.

The Bankers Trust New York Corporation reported yesterday that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 25 percent.

The American Banker, a trade publication, reported that a Visa proposal might go before the Plus board by early next year.

American Banker reported on January 2, 2007 that no PIN-reversal duress code is used on any ATM as of that date.