BANKING AND FINANCE

Keating Ruling May Be Appealed: Prosecutors said they are considering an appeal of a ruling that makes it far more difficult to convict former Lincoln Savings owner Charles H. Keating Jr. of securities fraud. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lance A. Ito ruled Wednesday that Keating can’t be convicted unless the government proves that he knew of specific instances in which his employees fraudulently sold risky junk bonds to Lincoln investors. Keating is charged with 20 counts of securities fraud alleging that Lincoln investors were misled about the safety of the bonds.