Morgan Keegan is Leading Municipal Bond Underwriter in Louisiana and South Central United States in Third Quarter 2006

Business Wire, Oct 17, 2006

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc., senior managed more municipal bond issues in Louisiana and the South Central United States than any other firm in the country during the third quarter of 2006, according to Thomson Financial, one of the nation's leading municipal bond information services.

As senior manager of 36 Louisiana issues with a par value of $1.02 billion, Morgan Keegan served as lead underwriter on more transactions for the state during the third quarter than any other firm in the country. Among the issues managed was the $600 million State of Louisiana Gulf Opportunity tax credit bond issue. As part of this issue, Morgan Keegan also senior managed a $200 million forward delivery bond issue and served as provider for a $140 million forward starting swap for the refunding bonds.

"As the lead underwriter of the first issuance authorized by the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act to help rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Katrina, we continue our longstanding commitment to the state of Louisiana," said Buck Landry, managing director of Morgan Keegan's public finance offices in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

"Although we faced an extremely short time-frame and intense efforts to complete the deal, it was gratifying work that resulted in 12 local governments and agencies in Orleans Parish receiving assistance from our State to meet their next two years of debt service payment," Landry said.

The Louisiana issues contributed significantly to Morgan Keegan retaining the designation of top municipal bond underwriter in the South Central region of the United States, which also includes Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee. Morgan Keegan senior managed 152 offerings with a par value of $3.15 billion during the quarter, earning a 16.6 percent market share and the number one ranking over national and regional competitors.

Additionally, Morgan Keegan was one of the largest lead underwriters in the country this quarter, ranking eleventh nationally. The firm served as book-running manager on 306 issues equating to a par value of $6.2 billion.

About Morgan Keegan & Company Inc.

Morgan Keegan & Company Inc., one of the nation's largest regional full-service brokerage and investment banking firms, is the securities brokerage arm of Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF). Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Morgan Keegan has some 300 offices across an 18 state footprint. The firm's staff of more than 100 public finance bankers provides underwriting through 20 banking offices in 13 states. Additional information about Morgan Keegan and Regions - a member of both the Forbes and Fortune 500 and one of the nation's Top 15 banks - can be found at www.morgankeegan.com and www.regions.com.