Virginia National Bank in Charlottesville, Va., has changed its corporate structure.

Peoples Financial (PFBX) in Biloxi, Miss., sold about $27.3 million in nonperforming assets in the fourth quarter.

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) in Cincinnati has agreed to buy Insight Bank in Worthington, Ohio.

Provident Financial Services (PFS) in Jersey City, N.J., has agreed to buy Team Capital Bank in Bethlehem, Pa.

The credit card issuer has agreed to loosen its restrictions on fees charged by retailers to consumers, following a similar move by Visa and MasterCard.

Although Ocwen Financial agreed to pay more than $2 billion to settle allegations it mishandled foreclosures and mortgages for thousands of borrowers, it could have been even worse for the country's largest nonbank servicer.

American River Bankshares (AMRB) in Sacramento, Calif., is looking for its next chief credit officer.

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.