11.   BankAmerica Corp. quietly has been laying plans for a nationwide branch network.

12.   Banks, with their muscular capital and far-reaching branch networks, will invade the brokerage industry.

13.   Both rely heavily on state-of-the-art technology in office operations, branch networks and on-line banking.

14.   Abbey said there would be no compulsory redundancies in the branch network.

15.   ABN Amro has said it is interested in a retail branch network in the U.K. and unlike some other foreign banks could achieve cost savings after the takeover.

16.   Aames makes mortgage loans to people with bad credit through its branch network, a network of brokers and by buying in bulk from other mortgage lenders.

17.   Allianz is not combining two branch networks, so there are no redundant branches to close.

18.   Citizens will gain some commercial banking activities from First New Hampshire and may offer small-business loans throughout its branch network, Speirs of Royal Bank said.

19.   Earlier on, its banks learned to manage sprawling branch networks.

20.   Even so Bankinter has withstood the squeeze on margins better than other Spanish banks because it has avoided building a costly branch network.