In the space of just a few hours, regulators issued -- and banks condemned -- guidance meant to clarify the impact of the Volcker Rule on small institutions.

Albert Buzzetti, founding chairman and chief executive at Bancorp of New Jersey (BKJ) in Fort Lee, has died.

Horizon Bancorp (HBNC) in Michigan City, Ind., has named a new chief financial officer and made two other executive promotions.

This time last year American Banker predicted six types of deals that would predominate in 2013. We were right about some things (more mergers of equals), wrong about others (lots of tiny banks would sell), and partly correct in some cases. Here's our self-critique.

A hike in guarantee fees could encourage banks to retain loans they might have otherwise sold to Fannie or Freddie, but observers are skeptical that it will accomplish its true mission of jump-starting the market for private-label mortgage securitizations.

Citigroup Inc. (C) renewed its lease on 2.63 million square feet (245,000 square meters) at the lower Manhattan office complex it inherited from Travelers Group when it bought the insurer 15 years ago.

Regulators raised more concerns on Thursday that some institutions might take heightened risk by seeking profits from locking into longer-term fixed yields and diving into complicated growth markets such as oil, gas and leveraged lending.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging regulators to reconsider a provision in the recently finalized Volcker rule that they warn could harm community banks that own trust-preferred securities.

Many small banks are well managed and provide value to their customers and investors. The more profound question for the economy is what effect the little guys have on the stability and efficiency of the U.S. financial system.

Banks are increasingly trying to make up for lost revenue by charging new fees -- which can anger their customers. But banks that add checking account fees carefully and transparently can maintain good customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power's Rocky Clancy, who shares his other tips for charging fees with American Banker.

Ocwen Financial (OCN) will pay $2.1 billion to settle allegations of misconduct in its mortgage servicing and foreclosure practices.

The Independent Community Bankers of America and the American Association of Bank Directors warned regulators that the Volcker Rule will force banks to lower capital to dangerously low levels.

Competition and regulation will make things difficult next year, but a panel of banking experts believes banks that mine new markets and expand product offerings have an opportunity to succeed.

The $1.1 billion-asset company said in a regulatory filing Thursday that it sold bank and insurance trust-preferred collateralized debt obligations that cost about $8.3 million -- at an $850,000 loss.

Ocwen Financial (OCN) is preparing to pay $2.1 billion to settle allegations of misconduct in its servicing practices, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Olney Bancshares of Texas in Olney has agreed to buy Park Cities Bank from North Texas Bancshares in Dallas.

The Federal Trade Commission provided information to Congress on Wednesday on the status of its work regarding data brokers - firms that collect and aggregate consumers’ information and then resell it.

Rockville Financial (RCKB) in Connecticut and United Financial Bancorp (UBNK) in West Springfield, Mass., will close four overlapping branches after their planned merger closes next year.

BankUnited in Miami Lakes, Fla., has sold two batches of securities in order to comply with the Volcker Rule.

As more consumers pile into Bitcoin and the currency's market capitalization increases, any handful of trades will not have as strong an effect on the currency’s price swings.