The Virginia and West Virginia bankers associations have intensified merger discussions and could combine into a single trade group by year's end, according to a report Tuesday from Richmond BizSense.

Investors Bancorp (ISBC) in Short Hills, N.J., has broken ground on the first of four new branches it plans to open on Staten Island in New York City.

Add JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon as a member of the league of extraordinarily optimistic bank executives, but a figure deep in his bank's quarterly report — a high utilization rate for commercial lines of credit — gives his predictions more credibility than his rivals'.

At a congressional hearing Tuesday, partisan lawmakers gave wildly divergent interpretations of the payment system crackdown.

Westamerica Bancorporation (WABC) in San Rafael, Calif., reported another decline in quarterly profits as low interest rates continued to reduce yields on loans and investment securities.

The Fed Chair tells lawmakers she's "very positive on the idea of having a community banker appointed to the Board," but against requiring it by legislation.

Washington Federal (WAFD) in Seattle reported increased quarterly earnings after buying dozens of branches from Bank of America (BAC).

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has proposed tailoring its system for pricing banks' insurance premiums to correspond with new Basel capital requirements.

JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon, recently diagnosed with throat cancer, told analysts that the Wall Street bank has an "exceptional group of executives" who could replace him someday — but that that won't be happening any time soon.

American Express (AXP) went on trial last week in Brooklyn over government allegations that its rules for merchants violate antitrust law. The trial, which is expected to continue until September, is merely the latest episode in the credit card industry's long-running antitrust battles. Here’s a look back at some of the most important antitrust cases involving the card networks.

Comerica (CMA) in Dallas reported higher earnings for the second quarter thanks heavily to savings on salary-related expenses.

Independent Bank in McKinney, Texas, is planning to raise capital by issuing debt.

"The real question for me is should we be in the FHA business at all," the CEO says.

Shares of Bank of the Ozarks (OZRK) rose in early trading Tuesday after the Little Rock, Ark., company reported a 30% increase in its second-quarter profit.

Commerce Bancshares (CBSH) in Kansas City, Mo., reported higher quarterly earnings because of a slight increase in revenue.

Frederick J. Hanna & Associates responded to a lawsuit filed Monday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Australian banks give homeowners greater flexibility with portable loans and an option that lets customers make prepayments on their mortgages and tap into the extra cash later. American banks could increase customer retention — and build stronger client relationships — by doing the same.

The number of U.S. homes using only wireless telephones is growing, with two in every five households (41%) in the second half of 2013 reporting relying solely on cell phones, according to a National Health Interview Survey.

The FDIC, OCC and Federal Reserve all plan to testify Tuesday that banks, not their regulators, are ultimately responsible for deciding who is an appropriate customer.

JPMorgan Chase & Co., the biggest U.S. bank, posted second-quarter profit that beat estimates as fixed-income trading revenue fell less than analysts expected. Shares rose in early trading.