In Wednesday's article Wall Street Journal Fund Track column, Daisy Maxey casts the spotlight on John Hancock Regional Bank Fund PM Lisa Welch, who believes that U.S. banks and thrifts are ripe for play.

Welch, lead manager of the $695.6 million fund, expects an improved credit market to jumpstart banks' revenues, which may be hampered by the financial reform legislation.

To be sure, second-quarter earnings reports from banks such as Goldman Sachs Group, Zions Bancorp, and Marshall & Ilsley have reportedly been disappointing at best.

But Welch's fund continues to outperform its benchmark gaining 2.7 percent year-to-date while the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index is down 2.9 percent, according to report.  

Edited by: Hung Tran


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