Katie Kuehner-Hebert

First Horizon National Corp. is reaping the rewards of dealing with its credit-quality issues early in the financial crisis.

First Horizon National Corp. is reaping the rewards of dealing with its credit-quality issues early in the financial crisis.

JPMorgan Chase CFO Cavanagh plays down succession speculation; familiar name moving up the ranks at Synovus; former BB&T chief Allison a hall of famer; and more.

Bank stocks fell Thursday as third-quarter results from Citigroup Inc. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. — though better than expected — were not the sort of blow-out earnings that JPMorgan Chase & Co. had reported the day before.

JPMorgan Chase's better-than-expected results lifted both bank stocks and the broader markets Wednesday.

The KBW Bank Index fell 0.44% Tuesday after analyst Meredith Whitney downgraded Goldman Sachs Group, from "buy" to "neutral," due to the run-up in the New York investment company's stock price this summer after it reported second-quarter earnings.

Bank stocks rose Friday as investors seemed to anticipate some positive nuggets in third-quarter earnings reports.

Bank stocks seesawed Thursday ahead of third-quarter earnings season. The KBW Bank Index closed down 0.25%.

Bank stocks managed to stay in positive territory Wednesday as investors prepared for what some fear will be a dicey third-quarter earnings season.

The recent surge in bank stocks has been one of the few bright spots in otherwise dismal times for the industry, but it may disappear next week with the start of third-quarter earnings announcements.

The KBW Bank Index rose 0.61% Tuesday, building on gains from the day before. Bank stocks also were also buoyed by strength in the broader markets, particularly in energy stocks, Barkocy said.

Bank stocks helped lift the broader markets Monday because of a bullish analyst report on the sector.

The Cincinnati company dumped a Michigan charter that had been used by its $50.9 billion-asset bank operating there and a national charter for a $6.9 billion-asset subsidiary in Tennessee, consolidating them into the Ohio charter of its lead $64.6 billion-asset subsidiary.

It's not easy to distract Carrie Tolstedt. The senior executive vice president of community banking at Wells Fargo not only faced the same economic storm that hit all bankers this past year, but she also had to manage the massive integration of Wachovia.

It's been tough being a banker over the past year, when "bank" has often been considered "a four-letter word," says LeeAnne Linderman of Zions First National Bank. "This has been the most challenging ... "

Stop the MusicFifth Third Bancorp continues to play musical chairs with its top financial position.

Bank stocks and the broader markets were volatile Friday because of "quadruple witching" — a day on which contracts for stock index futures, stock index options, stock options and single stock futures all expire.

The advertising battle raging among banks speaks volumes about the mind-set of the industry and its customers. Some companies have gone back to basics, emphasizing attributes such as dependability as they try to reassure customers in uncertain economic times.

Bank stocks and the broader markets pared their gains Thursday after surging on positive economic news.

Bank stocks and the broader markets rose Wednesday on positive news about industrial activity. The KBW Bank Index rose 4.03%, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 1.12% and the Standard & Poor's 500 rose 1.53%.