Webster Financial's investments in its Boston expansion program and HSA Bank subsidiary contributed to an 11% increase in noninterest expense. However, the spending spike was more than offset by 10% loan growth and record noninterest income at the Waterbury, Conn., company.

Panic around energy lending has subsided somewhat as oil prices have climbed and banks have reduced their overall exposure. But expect more trouble ahead if prices level off.

Propel Venture Partners, the venture capital firm backed by BBVA, led a $7 million investment round in Guideline, a fintech startup focused on 401(k)s.

Profits rose nearly 3% at Discover Financial Services in the second quarter thanks to solid loan growth and a one-time tax benefit.

The best thing about second-quarter results so far is that the bigger banks met or beat low earnings-per-share expectations. Otherwise they were challenged on many fronts, including revenue, expenses and margins.

The investment banking firm's GS Bank unit has added a large number of consumer deposits since spring, but its success hasn't been cheap.

Profit improved at both BBCN Bancorp and Wilshire Bancorp in the second quarter, about two weeks ahead of the closing date for the Los Angeles companies' merger.

Keefe Bruyette & Woods and Nasdaq have launched an index that tracks fintech companies.

A California man was sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for his role in leading a mortgage loan modification scheme that defrauded more than 1,000 homeowners nationwide.

Mercantile Bank Corp. in Grand Rapids, Mich., announced Tuesday that Michael Price plans to retire as president and chief executive at the end of the year after a decade at the helm of the company.

Congress appears to have reached an overwhelming consensus of support for small bank carve-outs with 70% of the Senate called for the CFPB to exempt credit unions and community banks from certain regulations. Whether signing a letter of support will make a difference in the debate is unclear.

H. Rodgin Cohen has just about seen it all over his decades of work advising bankers. The well-known lawyer looks at existing issues for banks while reflecting on past mergers that paid off for their participants.

Hawaiian Electric Industries has nixed a plan to spin off its American Savings Bank subsidiary after utility regulators rejected Hawaiian Electric’s sale to an out-of-state energy company.

Federal Housing Administration borrowers have been refinancing faster than expected, creating a drag on efforts to build up the capital reserves of the agency's mortgage insurance fund.

Synovus Financial in Columbus, Ga., reported higher second-quarter earnings on solid growth in revenue and loans for investment properties.

Scrambling to stop hackers from making away with stolen funds, the community involved in the cryptocurrency experiment Ethereum has voted to implement a major software change that would thwart the thieves and help the blockchain regain momentum.

Comerica reported improvement in its energy-loan portfolio in the second quarter but charges related to a broad corporate restructuring took a bite out of overall profits.

CommonBond is doubling down on the education-debt market, which has been a pocket of tranquility in an otherwise volatile online lending sector.

Some banks are looking to reenter small-dollar consumer lending now that a recent CFPB proposal has given them greater regulatory clarity. But they may need help from technology companies to make a very labor-intensive business more profitable.

Sam Cook, who served in various roles at Central Trust Bank in Jefferson City, Mo., since the Truman administration, has died.