Northwest Bancorp (NBCT) in Spokane, Wash., has completed its redemption of preferred stock it issued to the Treasury Department under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Webster Financial (WBS) in Waterbury, Conn., has hired an executive to lead its health savings account operation.

American consumers turned more confident in December as hiring picked up, brightening the outlook for spending heading into 2014.

Private equity, new regulatory costs and declining benefits from failed-bank deals are some of the big factors that will determine who buys and sells in the coming year.

Target Corp. (TGT), less than two weeks after disclosing a security breach of its credit- and debit-card system, said some customers have been unable to use its gift cards because they weren't fully activated.

Maryland lawmakers are planning to discuss a bill that would cut the time collectors have to take homeowners to court for the leftover debt on foreclosed homes.

The “ability-to-repay” regime eviscerates fundamental principles of a mortgage “market.” It will not guarantee against a housing bubble and crash. It will constrain the availability of credit and increase home financing costs.

The “ability-to-repay” regime eviscerates fundamental principles of a mortgage “market.” It will not guarantee against a housing bubble and crash. It will constrain the availability of credit and increase home financing costs.

Family Focus FCU is helping members whose debit cards have been blocked due to the Target breach still receive 24/7 access to their money.

George Jones, who recently retired, is proud of how the Dallas company grew while avoiding acquisitions. He believes Texas Capital can quadruple to $40 billion in assets by staying the course.

Seven of the 10 best performing housing markets in the U.S. are located in California, Oregon and Washington, according to Pro Teck Valuation Services.

Community Bank System (CBU) in DeWitt, N.Y., will take a $6.9 million loss in the fourth quarter after selling collateralized-debt obligations and other securities in response to concerns over the Volcker Rule.

Lamassu has received more than 120 orders for its Bitcoin ATMs in the first four months after launch, and has set up a map of locations.

A focused strategy, executed by engaged, committed members of the board, management and staff in a culture that supports taking measured risk, sets the stage for success.

The agreement paves the way for John Palmer, a principal and co-founder of PL Capital, to join BankFinancial's board.

A retired executive at Yadkin Financial (YDKN) resigned last week in a dispute over the Elkin, N.C., company's growth strategy.

December was one of the most active months for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as it took several enforcement actions spanning from mortgage servicing to indirect auto lending. A number of cases were key milestones for the agency as it partnered with federal and state authorities as well as employed some controversial legal theories such as disparate impact. Here’s a countdown of the big cases for the month.

Recurring debit payments, in which consumers give companies their bank or card account numbers to "pull" money out for regular bills, are a jury-rigged solution for a system built in the 1970s, says consultant Dave Birch. There is no need to replicate this setup in the modernized payment system that the Federal Reserve is nudging banks to create, Birch argues. "Push" payments, which require an active step by the accountholder each and every time, are more secure and easier to manage, he says.Related:• JPMorgan, Wal-Mart Offer Starkly Different Views on Faster Payments• Message to Banks: Speed Up Payments or Fed Will Take Charge

Including the Wells settlement, Fannie has collected nearly $14 billion from eight large mortgage lenders since the start of 2013.

Bill Crawford seemed content to oversee slow and steady growth before agreeing to buy United Financial in a deal that will create a $5 billion-asset bank in the Northeast.