IBM's Global Services division has signed
outsourcing deals with two European banking firms. Under the terms of a
$168 million contract with London-based mortgage bank Bradford &
Bingley, Big Blue will run the company's data center and help desk
systems. And through a $240 million pact, IBM also will help Caricentro, an
Italian savings bank consortium, handle the new Euro currency as well as
Year 2000 remediation efforts.