For big United States regional banks, subject to a potential drop-off in loan growth and heightened credit concerns, yesterday also ended on a sour note.

To cut costs further, the bank reduced interest rates on deposits and ended executive perks like country club memberships and company cars.

With slimmer pickings in foreign markets, many American banks have reduced or ended their operations overseas.

As if the Golden Gate were a wall, the bank of fog ended abruptly at the bridge.

The bank has since ended its participation in the work-study program, Taylor's office said.

By darkness, it was waist-high and they could no longer see where the bank ended and the river began.

Passing a turn in the wall, the men saw that the bank ended in a large cavern-mouth.

The bank ended last year with $563.2 million in assets, down 1.8 percent from $573.7 million in 2007.

But the bank could then end the recession by issuing another $1040 in exchange for assets worth 390 ounces.

The offering, the largest equity sale so far this year in Europe, started when Italy's banks opened for business yesterday and ends on Friday.