MOODY'S DOWNGRADES REPUBLICBANK <RPT>
Moody's Investors Service said it
lowered the ratings on 464 mln dlrs of long-term debt issued by
RepublicBank Corp and its two principal subsidiaries but
upgraded 451 mln dlrs of securities of Interfirst Corp <IFC>.
    The rating adjustments are based on the likelihood that the
proposed merger of the two Texas banks will be consummated.
Moody's said Interfirst is considerably the weaker of the two
institutions.
    Among the rating changes, RepublicBank's senior debt was
downgraded to BA-1 from BAA-1 while Interfirst's was raised to
BA-1 from B-1.
 Reuter
