Although Wachovia Corp. (WB) has been mentioned as one of the more troubled big U.S. banks, at least some analysts believe it is not at risk and is unlikely to suffer the same fate of Washington Mutual Inc. (WM) They also believe that Wachovia will be able to survive on its own, without merging with another big financial institution.Still, shares of the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank plunged Friday as investors, the day after WaMu’s failure, shifted their focus to other financial institutions that also suffer under the weight of mounting losses tied to toxic assets. Full story: http://tinyurl.com/4lwzuxWaMu Is Seized, Sold Off to J.P. MorganThe collapse of the Seattle thrift, which was triggered by a wave of deposit withdrawals, marks a new low point in the country’s financial crisis. But the deal, as constructed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., could hold some glimmers of hope for the beleaguered banking system because it averts any hit to the bank-insurance fund. Full Story: http://tinyurl.com/4k7rsjWaMu becomes biggest bank to fail in US historyOne positive is that the sale of WaMu’s assets to JPMorgan Chase prevents the thrift’s collapse from depleting the FDIC’s insurance fund. But that detail is likely to give only marginal solace to Americans facing tighter lending and watching their stock portfolios plunge in the wake of the nation’s most momentous financial crisis since the Great Depression. Full Story: http://tinyurl.com/445lx7WAMU ASSETS SOLD The failure of WaMu, which has $188 billion in deposits, ratchets up pressure on lawmakers to piece together a rescue package for the nation’s financial system. The government’s inability yesterday to reach agreement on a bailout and the seizure of the biggest savings and loan sparked a sell-off of bank stocks, led by a 27 percent tumble in Wachovia Corp.Full story: http://tinyurl.com/4p35y3Wachovia Begins Early Deal Talks with CitiWachovia has begun preliminary talks with Citigroup about a pot...