1.   Analysts say there is an opportunity to buy undervalued banks that have not been hurt, or may even benefit, from rising interest rates.

2.   And within the past couple of months, more thrifts have bought banks, Mitchell said.

3.   Banks can buy brokerages, for example, but brokerages cannot buy banks.

4.   Banks in the U.S. are buying other banks to boost revenue and reduce costs.

5.   Banco Caroni CA said it is holding talks to buy regional bank Banco Monagas SA as part of a planned expansion in the eastern oil state of Monagas.

6.   Additionally, investors are buying banks in anticipation of an inflow of domestic pension fund money, expected on Monday, which is likely to boost the market.

7.   After Norstar, Fleet expanded strictly in New England, buying banks in Nashua, N.H., Glastonbury, Conn., Portland, Maine, and small Massachusetts cities.

8.   All its major banks have been bought by outsiders.

9.   But Henri de Castries, the youthful chief executive of AXA, said the company had no interest in buying a bank outright, as Allianz plans to do.

10.   But Trihatmojo was able to buy another bank days later.