The New York Times 'DealBook' column reports that Bank of America has now agreed to hand over more documents sought by the US Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, which is investigating the bank's acquisition of Merrill Lynch. However, the bank appears not to have yet agreed to disclose documents that it believes are protected by client-attorney privilege.

Committee Chairman Edolphis Towns said in a statement: 'Bank of America will provide a privilege log that we will review and use to determine which documents are critical to the committee's ongoing investigation'. The fight for disclosure, then, isn't over yet.

And thedeal.com reports that BofA shareholder activist Jonathan Finger, of Finger Investments Number One, is still calling for the bank's CEO, Ken Lewis, to resign. Finger told the website: 'Yes, I think Lewis should step down. The investigations take away from Lewis's effectiveness as a leader, and his position has been compromised'.

In the meantime, Bloomberg reports that Credit Suisse has now said that it will hire fewer private bankers than it originally expected over the coming months - 200, instead of the 300 initial target. And The Financial Times reports that around 300 of the firm's bankers and executives stand to share-out a $1.85bn payout next spring, which relates to a 2005 'performance incentive plan'. Nice.

Reuters reports that some investors now believe that Goldman Sachs may well try to give up its bank holding company status, in order to 'sidestep US government efforts to rein in pay'. The smart money feels, however, that regulators and lawmakers are unlikely to allow this systemically-important firm to operate outside their clutches.

And The New York Posts reports that Goldman, anxious to ward-off another bout of banker bonus bashing if, as expected, it has a big compensation pot to divvy-up this year, is looking at ways reduce the amount of cash that will be handed out to employees. The firm is said to be looking at longer vesting periods for deferred comp, and forcing executives to take all their bonuses in stock.

Bloomberg reports that SocGen CEO Frederic Oudea said earlier this week that he is not concerned that the French government's new rules on bonuses will result in a brain drain. Oudea remarked that he was confident that 'we will be able to recruit and retain the talent that we need'. And Dow Jones Newswires quotes SocGen's private banking boss, Daniel Truchi, who said that his unit is looking to make a 'quantum leap' in terms of scale, and that acquisitions are on the agenda.

The news agency also reports that UBS Wealth Management UBS is planning to lay-off over 150 'rookie' financial advisers, as the unit continues to be restructured.

And The Financial Times reports that Richard Kovacevich is to step down as Chairman of Wells Fargo at the end of the year. Kovacevich will be replaced by John Stumpf, who will also continue as CEO.

Finally, Reuters reports that, according to US federal prosecutors, a review of Madoff client accounts has revealed that around 50% of investors managed to withdraw out more money than they invested with the fraudster.

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