BANKING
<i> Times Staff and Wire Reports</i>
U.S. to Offer Savings Bonds at Floating Rate: The bonds will have a floating interest rate beginning May 1 to make them more attractive to investors, who currently receive a 4% rate on bonds held less than five years. After five years, the rate on the bonds becomes tied to market rates and can be no lower than 4%. The new plan will peg the rates to the market rate from the time they are purchased, Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin announced this week.
