JPMorgan poised for a deal

JPMorgan Chase has completed the 2004 acquisition of Bank One and seems fairly satisfied with the results. The bottom line is that it is "open for business," in the words of chief executive Jaime Dimon. The most glaring opportunity is in the retail brokerage realm. Dimon, of course, is the former president of Smith Barney. In the past, Dimon has worked to throw water on the idea that his bank needs to boost its retail brokerage presence. Some think that may be mere posturing. Retail brokerages are pricey these days. And that may play a role in any decision-making. At least one analyst thinks A.G. Edwards would be a good fit. Then again, the bank may want to fill out its national footprint--SunTrust and US Bancorp have been speculated about. We'll see.  

For more:
- here's a Forbes update
- JPMorgan buys payments processor. Article