BofA Eyes Manhattan as It Expands

Bank of America Corp. may open as many as 50 branches in Manhattan starting in mid-2004 as it tries to sell more mortgages, credit cards and auto loans, said Ken Lewis, chief executive of the third-largest U.S. bank.

Lewis also said the Charlotte, N.C., bank will add up to 100 branches in Chicago in the next three or four years.

The bank’s shares rose 93 cents to $72 on the NYSE.