MERCHANTS &lt;MCHN.O> TO REPORT 2ND QTR LOSS
  Merchants National Corp, with 3.7
  billion dlrs in assets, said it will report a loss of 13 mln
  dlrs for the second quarter due to its decision to increase its
  provision for losses by 30 mln dlrs, mainly due to
  uncertainties surrounding Latin American debt.
      In the second quarter last year, Merchants reported net
  income of 6.2 mln dlrs or 68 cts a share.
      As a result of the increased loan loss provision, the bank
  said the allowance for loan losses will increase from 1.4 pct
  to 2.5 pct of the bank's total loans. The bank said its expects
  to report estimated net of over 15 mln dlrs for 1987.
  

