BANKING

Keating Credibility Questioned: Former Lincoln Savings & Loan operator Charles H. Keating Jr. defended his veracity as he concluded his testimony in the federal criminal trial against him. In 2 1/2 days, Keating testified to matters that he once had explained differently. He defended a number of the discrepancies by stating that he lied previously in an effort to get somebody’s attention. When asked how he indicated to people whether he was telling the truth or just trying to get their attention, he said, “I try to tell the truth and, in my opinion, do--all of the time.” Keating is being tried in federal court on conspiracy, fraud and racketeering charges stemming from the 1989 collapse of the Irvine thrift.