	major u s banks move to higher pct prime most major u s banks today matched tuesday s quarter point prime rate cuts by citibank and chase manhattan bank the first prime rate boosts since mid most cited narrower spreads between the prime and funding costs as justification analysts said the prime rate rises may have been triggered partly by a desire by banks to enhance profit margins given problems with developing country loans commenting on the prime rate increases u s treasury secretary james baker told a house appropriations committee that i hope it was a temporary blip upward among the major banks which today announced prime rate increases to pct were bankers trust chemical bank continental illinois national bank harris trust and savings bank irving trust manufacturers hanover trust co marine midland and security pacific national bank other banking companies announcing prime rate rises included pittsburgh national bank texas commerce bank houston provident national bank first national bank of boston florida federal savings and loan association and suntrust banks reuter 
