41.   Pimco has been looking to beef up its equities business.

42.   Salomon Brothers Inc. named Rodney B. Berens, co-head of its worldwide equity business, chief executive of its European operations, a spokesman said.

43.   Salomon recently appointed Arthur Hyde III as head of its equities business.

44.   Schroders is trying to boost its equity business in Europe and yesterday hired two senior equity executives from NatWest Markets.

45.   Schmitt said the bank was concerned about integrating an equity business that may not have been based in Charlotte.

46.   Still, the bank has been building its equity business on its own, adding several analysts from top Wall Street firms in recent months.

47.   That followed charges last year from the sale of the equities business of its BZW investment banking unit, and higher costs the prior year.

48.   The acquisition, he said, allowed Nationsbank to get into the equity business quickly with an established and successful franchise.

49.   The bank also purchased equity businesses in Europe last year as it sought to build its worldwide equity and investment banking businesses.

50.   The bank is close to selling its European equities business to Bankers Trust New York Corp., people familiar with the situation said.