Commercial banks and other financial institutions need to beef up their ability to detect and protect themselves against risks like the credit and mortgage debacles, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said yesterday.

WASHINGTON -- Commercial banks and other financial institutions need to beef up their ability to detect and protect themselves against risks like the credit and mortgage debacles, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday.

NEW YORK -- The credit crisis has done more damage on Park Avenue than on Main Street, but the near-collapse of investment bank Bear Stearns raises the question of whether Wall Street's troubles could spread to commercial banks and ordinary depositors.

NEW YORK - The credit crisis has done more damage on Park Avenue than on Main Street, but the near-collapse of investment bank Bear Stearns raises the question of whether Wall Street's troubles could spread to commercial banks and ordinary depositors.

The mortgage crisis and meltdown in the housing market led to significant increases in loan delinquencies and reserves for loan losses for California state-charted commercial banks and credit unions, according to a quarterly report for the fourth quarter from the California Department of Financial Institutions.

The mortgage crisis and meltdown in the housing market led to significant increases in loan delinquencies and reserves for loan losses for California state-charted commercial banks and credit unions, according to a quarterly report for the fourth quarter from the California Department of Financial Institutions.

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve, seeking to combat effects of the credit crisis, said Tuesday it had auctioned another $30 billion in funds to commercial banks, at an interest rate of 3.080 percent. It was the sixth in a series of auctions that so far have pumped $160 billion into the nation's banking system in an effort to provide cash-strapped banks with extra reserves.

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve, seeking to combat the effects of a serious credit crisis, said Tuesday it had auctioned $30 billion in funds to commercial banks at an interest rate of 3.010 percent.

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve, working to combat effects of a serious credit crisis, said Tuesday it had auctioned $30 billion in funds to commercial banks at an interest rate of 3.123 percent.

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Reserve, working to combat the effects of a severe credit crunch, announced Friday it had auctioned another $20 billion in funds to commercial banks at an interest rate of 4.67 percent. Fed officials pledged to continue with the auctions "for as long as necessary."