Liberty Bank in New Orleans reached agreement a year ago to acquire First Tuskegee Bank in Alabama. But the deal has remained in limbo ever since, and it shows that buyers and sellers can take little for granted in bank M&A.

Stellar, a new protocol for transmitting money, is launching under the guidance of several payments industry experts.

A study released Tuesday found that the share of Americans in collections has remained steady even as the U.S. pares down the size of its credit card debt.

Essex Bank in Richmond, Va., recently launched a wholesale mortgage funding group.

Bank of the Ozarks in Little Rock, Ark., has agreed to buy Intervest Bancshares in New York for $228.5 million in stock.

The troubled Greenville, S.C., bank lost $15 million in the second quarter, its first quarterly results since a new management team replaced the three founders who were fired in April. Moreover, local NAACP leaders have raised concerns about the firings, which they say sent a toxic message to the local African-American community.

Sun Bancorp in Mount Laurel, N.J., reported a second-quarter loss due to one-time charges related to its ongoing restructuring efforts.

One in four banks are eyeing wealth management as a way to boost noninterest income and deepen customer relationships, according to a new survey by American Banker and SourceMedia Research.

Regional and small banks are providing M&A advisory services to their commercial customers as a way to drive fee income, deepen client relationships and differentiate themselves from rivals.

If finalized and then approved by regulators, the combination of the Des Moines and Seattle Home Loan banks would be the first voluntary merger in the system’s history.

A federal court has imposed a $26.9 million judgment against the operator of a work-at-home scheme who lied about his financial assets in an effort to hide them from the Federal Trade Commission when he agreed to a settlement with the agency in 2010.

MasterCard's digital wallet is currently live in 10 markets and the company has plans to add four more countries this year in a push to strengthen the card network's capabilities in an increasingly digital world.

First Bancorp in Southern Pines, N.C., posted a 20% jump in its second-quarter earnings as its provision for loan losses declined and fee income increased.

Home price gains have caused borrowers to turn to second liens to access cash for home improvement or other needs as higher interest rates damp first lien originations.

Banks can boost mortgage profits with the help of direct call centers and products like adjustable-rate mortgages and jumbo loans, writes Stratmor Group's Garth Graham.

Brookline Bancorp in Boston reported higher quarterly earnings because of loan growth.

Banc of California in Irvine reported a jump in second-quarter profits, fueled by strong growth in its loan portfolio.

The mortgage interest tax deduction is supposed to encourage homeownership among low- and middle-income Americans. But it primarily benefits higher-income taxpayers, according to a new study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

American Express Co. Chief Executive Officer Kenneth I. Chenault defended company rules that bar merchants from asking customers to use cards with lower processing costs as a needed measure to protect its brand.

TFS Financial in Cleveland reported that its quarterly profits increased as net interest income rose and its loan-loss provision shrank.