BANKING

2 Banks Kick First Interstate’s Tires: Hoping to avoid a hostile takeover by San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Co., First Interstate Bancorp of Los Angeles has invited regional banking powerhouses Banc One Corp. and Norwest Corp. to examine its books and consider making rival bids--a move that analysts said could force Wells to sweeten its offer. Spokespersons for the banks declined to comment on First Interstate’s solicitation, first reported in the Wall Street Journal. Analysts said Banc One, based in Columbus, Ohio, and Norwest, in Minneapolis, would have trouble topping the Wells offer without incurring the wrath of their own shareholders. Wells’ offer for First Interstate initially was worth $10.1 billion, ballooned to nearly $11 billion last week and has since slid to about $9.9 billion as both firms’ stock has gyrated.