The industry consensus is that investors care more about capital and credit than wide earnings misses for the second quarter, and East West Bancorp Inc. in Pasadena, Calif., is a case in point.

WASHINGTON — A powerful credit-union trade group on Tuesday laid out its conditions for supporting the proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency.

CapitalSource Inc., in Chevy Chase, Md., is moving forward with plans to sell $71.8 million of common stock and $300 million of senior secured notes.

To understand just how hard it is to start a bank these days, consider Coastal Bank and Trust. Organizers raised the $11 million of capital they needed, but just made the deadline in the prospectus with minutes to spare.

Century Bancorp Inc.'s second-quarter earnings rose 7%, as a lower tax rate and higher net interest income helped offset an increase in loan trouble and a larger assessment for deposit insurance.

Westamerica Bancorp. of San Rafael, Calif., reported a 90% surge in second-quarter earnings Tuesday as a recent acquisition and lower short-term interest rates more than offset increased credit costs.

On the heels of reporting a second-quarter loss due to rising credit problems, CoBiz Financial Inc. in Denver is raising $45 million of capital with an eye toward possible acquisitions.

Blank-check companies have had a hard time buying banks in the past, but a pair of deals announced Tuesday could signal more to come.

Observers say lower prices for banks and adesperation for capital have given these investors more incentive toget involved in the industry now.

The flailing Guaranty Financial Group Inc. of Austin has a new chief executive officer and chief financial officer.

Territorial Bancorp Inc. of Honolulu is off to a flying start.

Looking busy may be the best hope for Temecula Valley Bancorp Inc.

Presented with a difficult choice between two risks — angering depositors or effectively extending a loan to crisis-stricken California — banks have varied widely in their willingness to accept IOUs the state has issued to their customers.

Capitol Bancorp Ltd. plans to divest itself of the Bank of Santa Barbara to an investor group led by California banker Eloy Ortega in an effort to strengthen Capitol's equity and core capital ratios.

Capitol Bancorp Ltd.'s latest divestiture deal underscores just how far the company has retreated from its original strategy.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

As financial institutions across the country confront mounting piles of repossessed properties, Sovereign Bank in Dallas is using an unusual strategy to clear its inventory and clean up its balance sheet.

To the Editor: