But by 1998, the bank had cut its staff at the trade center to 830.
The combined bank would cut 7,000 jobs over the next three years.
Still, banks have cut some other interest rates over the last year.
The Bank also cut its forecast for growth in 2012 to just 1%.
The bank has cut rates four times this year, most recently in August.
The central banks of several European countries cut their rates in response.
But most American banks have been cutting back since then.
It was hard to see much because the bank cut inward.
The banks also cut expenses by 7.8 percent in the half year.
This raised hopes that the central bank could cut interest rates next week.