Paul Davis

For the first time since December, banks appear to be holding the line when negotiating rates on consumer and commercial loans. The tradeoff, however, has been decelerated loan growth.

H&R Block, for the second time in a year, is finding it challenging to get out of banking.

The $7.8 billion-asset company disclosed in a regulatory filing Friday that it had sold performing mortgages with outstanding balances of roughly $193 million to First BanCorp, also in San Juan.

Valley Community Bank's biggest shareholder has gone public with his objection to the Pleasanton, Calif., bank's sale to FNB Bancorp in San Francisco.

National Australia Bank is looking to sell more than a quarter of its holdings in Great Western Bancorp as part of the Sioux Fall, S.D., company's planned initial public offering.

The Louisiana company agreed to buy Florida Bank Group in a deal that will allow it to enter Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Tampa. It is the latest deal for a bank that has been an aggressive acquirer this year.

Southside Bancshares in Tyler, Texas, is getting out of subprime auto lending.

Citizens Community Bancorp in Eau Claire, Wis., will close three branches.

The agency has been hounding the "significantly undercapitalized" bank to provide written capital restoration and contingency plans that would include ways Doral could be sold or liquidated.

OceanFirst Financial in Toms River, N.J., has shed some nonperforming mortgages.

The $171 million-asset company said in a press release Wednesday that it was recently informed that certain loans used to back its investment in repurchase agreements may be fraudulent.

The $7.9 billion-asset company said in a press release Wednesday that Michael Blodnick plans to retire next year.

Doral Financial in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has sold more loans in a move that will deplete capital but bolster the company's liquidity.

A former employee wants the company to look at a merger of equals or selling its wealth management operations to increase shareholder value. Management, meanwhile, wants to grow in a way that diversifies income and reduces risk.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida has agreed to buy Mackinac Savings Bank in Boynton Beach, Fla.

The $3.2 billion-asset HomeStreet will pay $128 million in stock for the $870 million-asset Simplicity, the companies said in a press release Monday.

Old Line Bancshares in Bowie, Md., is planning to close four branches.

Great Western Bancorp in Sioux Falls, S.D., could sell up to $100 million shares of its stock during its planned initial public offering.

First Republic Bank in San Francisco expects its four-quarter average assets to reach $50 billion late next year.

BNC Bancorp in High Point, N.C., is planning to issue $60 million in subordinated notes to pay off a loan from another bank.