Low interest rates may be pressuring margins, but they provided a lift to community banks that sell mortgage originations. Bankers are now debating how long the current refi boom will last.

Prosperity Bancshares in Houston hit analysts' earnings forecasts despite a linked-quarter decline in loans and profit.

In China, a new report from PwC, indicates banks are dealing with a surge in bad loans as a result of slowing economic growth.

Debt-buying giant PRA Group Inc., which purchases consumer debt from banks and other creditors, has named Deborah Cassidy as its chief information officer.

The Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the New York Attorney General will host an event on June 15, in Buffalo, N.Y. to discuss consumer protection issues with the debt collection industry.

In another escalation of Quicken Loans' ongoing clash with the government, the Department of Justice on Thursday filed a lawsuit alleging shoddy underwriting by the company.

Hancock Holding in Gulfport, Miss., reported lower profit as low oil prices stymied loan growth in the energy sector.

City National Bank in Los Angeles said Thursday that its first-quarter profit climbed 14% from the same period last year, fueled by a surge in real estate construction and commercial lending.

Capital One Financial's earnings fell slightly in the first quarter when compared to a year earlier, as rising expenses outpaced revenue gains.

Columbia Banking System in Tacoma, Wash., tapped organic growth and its purchase of Intermountain Community Bancorp to post higher quarterly profit.

Heritage Commerce in San Jose, Calif., has agreed to buy Focus Business Bank. The $1.7 billion-asset Heritage Commerce will pay about $55 million for the $391 million-asset Focus, which is also based in San Jose.

Demographic, cultural and technological changes will reshape customer service in the mortgage business over the next 30 years, a Wells Fargo executive said.

The growth-minded regional bank is biding its time until rates rise and its M&A deals close by slowing riskier types of lending and diversifying its income sources.

F.N.B. in Pittsburgh reported higher first-quarter profit on higher fee income and enhanced results from two acquisitions.

Regulators recently penalized a mortgage firm for keeping a file of licensing-test questions to prep exam takers, the first public challenge to what is believed to be a hushed, but longtime, industry practice.

Astoria Financial in Lake Success, N.Y., topped Wall Street expectations despite a drop in revenue. The $15.5 billion-asset company reported a 39% decrease in net income from a year earlier, to $19.3 million.

Convergent Revenue Cycle Management Inc., a national healthcare revenue cycle management provider, has announced that Mark Schanck has been promoted to company president.

Bill Emerson, chief executive of Quicken Loans, said at a recent conference that the threat of government probes and a lack of regulatory clarity are making FHA lending less attractive.

Navient Corp. released Q1 financial results on Thursday that include $830 million of student loan purchases, $300 million of common share repurchases and the acquisition of a new asset recovery and business process outsourcing firm focused on state and local public sector markets.

The company will consider annual elections for all directors after investors passed a non-binding resolution urging for a change.