21.   On Wall Street, where investment banking fees are commensurate with the size of the deal, deal makers scoff and say Fleet Boston is not immune.

22.   Other expected sales include Brazilian utility Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais, Chinese investment bank Citic Pacific Ltd. and possibly London-based Enterprise Oil Plc.

23.   Peter Hunt also recently gave up a lucrative investment banking career to try his hand as an entrepreneur.

24.   Rijnhard van Tets, director in charge of investment banking, said the bank was interested in buying a large asset management firm but found them too expensive.

25.   Scott pointed to record growth in investment banking and trading for big investors as well as growth in the retail consumer business.

26.   Several building societies, or mortgage lenders owned by their customers, converted into banks and most remaining British-owned investment banking businesses were sold to foreign companies.

27.   Spitzer had accused Merrill of promoting stocks of companies whose investment banking business the firm wanted.

28.   That forced the bankruptcy filing, which the county said would stop the investment banks from seizing its collateral.

29.   The figures confirmed expectations and had little impact, said Ciaran Barr, an economist at Deutsche Morgan Grenfell, the investment banking arm of Deutsche Bank.

30.   The other main shareholders are Australian insurers AMP Society, National Mutual and state-owned investment bank AIDC Ltd.