A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

New technologies, strict employee training, cost control and a little psychology are some of the things small-business lenders have tried to counter falling demand and bargain shopping.

The smallest community banks are largely exempt from many new regulations, but their CEOs are still facing mounting compliance burdens and heightened concerns over competition with credit unions. American Banker Community Editor Paul Davis reports from his recent meeting with leaders of small banks.

The Treasury Department is taking a roughly 45% discount its latest auction of Troubled Asset Relief Program shares.

First Mariner Bancorp (FMAR) in Baltimore recorded a large third-quarter loss after its mortgage revenue fell by more than 80% from a year earlier.

StoneCastle Financial in New York launched its $110 million initial public offering Thursday.

Banc of California's (BANC) president has resigned after the Irvine company reported a large quarterly loss and dive in its capital ratios.

Hampton Roads Bankshares (HMPR) in Virginia Beach, Va., made big gains in the third quarter because of lower costs tied to foreclosed properties and repossessed assets.

Peapack-Gladstone Financial (PGC) in Bedminster, N.J., has launched a $42 million rights offering.

Fidelity National Financial, the largest U.S. title insurer, promoted Raymond Quirk to chief executive officer as the company expands in the business of providing and analyzing mortgage data.

Eastern Bank in Boston has acquired an insurance agency in Lynnfield, Mass.

Wintrust Financial (WTFC) in Rosemont, Ill., has renegotiated a $100 million loan agreement with outside lenders.

Merchants labeled high-risk often have trouble finding processors willing to work with them, but they may have better luck if they adopt a digital currency designed to prohibit chargebacks.

The $19.3 billion-asset company plans to merge its Hancock Bank and Whitney Bank subsidiaries in the first quarter of 2014, pending regulatory approval, it said Thursday.

The $649 million-asset company said late Thursday that it had retained Sterne, Agee & Leach, making the announcement after it prevailed in a bitter contest with an activist investor.

Recently there have been many acquisitions and other i-banking transactions involving financial technology companies that target low-to-moderate income consumers, according to a new study.

Farmers National Banc (FMNB) in Canfield, Ohio, has named Kevin Helmick its permanent president and chief executive officer.

The battle over how to craft affordable housing requirements as part of mortgage finance reform took center stage on Thursday as witnesses at a Senate Banking Committee hearing sparred over the issue, including whether dedicated funds should be subject to Congressional appropriations.

Shares of Nationstar Mortgage Holdings plunged Thursday after the loan servicing firm missed earnings estimates by a wide margin and announced plans to sell its wholesale mortgage operation.

First Citizens BancShares (FCNCA) in Raleigh, N.C., reported higher third-quarter profit because of a significant improvement in credit quality.