BANKING

Thrift Agency Issues Lending Guidelines: The Office of Thrift Supervision issued guidelines aimed at helping thrift officers and directors avoid government suits over their institutions’ lending policies. The agency’s goal is to make S&L; officials less conservative in lending, easing what Administration officials believe is an economy-crimping credit crunch. Agency Director Timothy Ryan said honest savings and loan officials may have developed unwarranted fears of being sued if their institution fails. Because of that, they may be rejecting loan applications from all but the most risk-free borrowers, he said. The three pages of guidelines say directors and officers will not be sued if they exercise their duties with “loyalty and care.”