71.   Mellon could, however, seek to merge with smaller banks such as Fleet Financial Corp. or BankBoston Corp.

72.   NationsBank has remained on the sidelines most of this year, aside from improving its presence in Florida with three smaller bank purchases.

73.   Other stocks likely to be hurt by deregulation and a weaker economy, such as smaller banks, also fell.

74.   Other major national players are going to be much more aggressive here, and smaller banks are going to grow.

75.   Platoons of smaller banks are also based in town.

76.   Sanwa and other banks are reluctant to accept responsibility for the collapse of the smaller banks partly because of concern their credit ratings will be further jeopardized.

77.   Sanyo Securities closed in November, quickly followed by the Hokkaido Takushoku Bank, Yamaichi Securities and a smaller regional bank.

78.   Several smaller regional banks also look likely to be acquired by larger Mexican or foreign banks.

79.   Smaller banks can also react faster to change.

80.   Smaller banks may sell up to a fifth of their equity.