Paul Davis

Business activity in the banking sector accelerated slightly in October, rising for the fifth straight month, according to industry executives surveyed for American Banker's latest Index of Banking Activity.

Volatility among investment banks presents some great hiring opportunities for their rivals, says Daryle DiLascia, who recently joined Sterne, Agee & Leach from KBW to work on bank M&A.

Margin pressure, regulatory hurdles and intense competition will test the nation's smallest banks next year, industry experts predict. Those issues could lead to a resurgence of consolidation among community banks.

Matt Wagner, the persistent CEO of PacWest in L.A., reaches a deal to buy First California six months after reporting that the Westlake Village, Calif., company spurned his initial overture.

Business activity in the banking sector improved significantly in September, rising for the fourth consecutive month, according to industry executives surveyed for American Banker's latest Index of Banking Activity.

The Riverhead, N.Y., company had vowed to get a handle on nonperforming loans after raising $25 million in September. CEO Howard Bluver has said that Suffolk will focus on growth in coming months.

The National Credit Union Administration has liquidated Women's Southwest Federal Credit Union in Dallas.

TowneBank (TOWN) has hired J.G. Carter, a former SunTrust Banks (STI) executive, to help the Suffolk, Va., company expand its mortgage operations.

Crescent Financial Bancshares in Raleigh, N.C., continued to narrow its losses during the third quarter.

JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank of America and others in the path of Hurricane Sandy continued Monday to calibrate their responses to the storm.

Talmer Bancorp has agreed to buy and recapitalize First Place Bank in Warren, Ohio, in a deal that will work its way through the bankruptcy process.

State Bank Financial (STBZ) in Atlanta reported a drop in quarterly earnings as income tied its past failed-bank deals fell.

Banks in the Magnolia State have built up capital and profits, and their owners are hoping the state's poor national reputation will shield them for a while from big rivals and M&A trends.

Eagle Bancorp in Bethesda, Md., plans to sell more than $10 million in stock to go along with a $35 million offering that it recently completed.

Banks in the forecasted path of Hurricane Sandy braced Sunday for the storm, while making plans to help their operations weather it without interruption.

Gregory Mitchell, who left First PacTrust Bancorp last month, has joined First Tech Federal Credit Union as president and CEO. In a letter posted on First Tech's website, Mitchell admitted to having a credit union membership while running at least two banks.

First Financial Northwest in Renton, Wash., a $973 million-asset company, lost $791,000 in the third quarter, compared to net income of $1.4 million in the second quarter and profit of $623,000 a year earlier.

Federal regulators are reviewing banks' growth plans, particularly those that include third-party companies. To avoid excessive scrutiny, industry experts advise banks to proactively discuss such relationships with examiners.

Kelly King, the North Carolina company's CEO, vowed to remain conservative while scouting out opportunities in multifamily and office development.

BB&T's third-quarter earnings dipped from midyear after it incurred costs from buying BankAtlantic and issued preferred stock.