1.   Among the biggest gainers were shares of banking companies, whose lending and profits pick up when interest rates fall.

2.   Among the first to abolish retiree health benefits was J.P. Morgan, the investment banking company.

3.   And banking companies like Nationsbank and BankAmerica are using aggressive pricing tactics in an effort to unseat Chemical.

4.   And Norwest, the huge Minneapolis banking company, completely abandoned offering credit cards in direct mail solicitations, after its losses shot up.

5.   And while Chase will become the largest banking company in the nation, its three predecessors have a record of muddled management, misplaced loans and mediocre performance.

6.   Any drop in borrowing costs may encourage companies and consumers to arrange more loans, which would boost earnings at banking companies.

7.   At one end is a few international banking companies with huge assets, broad services and phenomenal lending limits.

8.   Banking companies, whose shares are sensitive to interest rates, slipped.

9.   BankAmerica, the second-biggest U.S. banking company, said in February it planned to sell most of its institutional trust and custodial services.

10.   Banking companies rose on expectations of further interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.