When it agreed to be sold to Stifel last year, KBW was painted as a victim of weak bank M&A and the transformation of investment banking. Things are looking up now as the combined company ranked as the top advisor in four of six U.S. regions at midyear.

Royal Bank of Canada said Chairman David O'Brien plans to step down at yearend, and that director Kathleen Taylor will succeed him. The Toronto bank also said that Mark Hughes will succeed Chief Risk Officer Morten Friis when Friis retires on Jan. 10.

Student and auto lending surged in the 12-month period ended in July, according to an Equifax report released Thursday.

Everett Stern, who worked at HSBC Bank USA for two years, has given federal authorities emails and other documents that, he says, show HSBC committed anti-laundering violations beyond those covered by its $1.9 billion settlement. He has urged them to open a new investigation.

Total domestic deposit balances at institutions insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. fell by $31 billion, or 0.3%, in the second quarter, according to analysis from Market Rates Insight.

Merchant Bank in Winona, Minn., plans to buy two branches from Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC) in Green Bay, Wis.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. took regulatory actions against nine banks and freed 22 banks from orders in July, according to an enforcement update released Friday.

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

Citigroup Inc., the third-biggest U.S. bank by assets, may sell half its Texas branches as Chief Executive Officer Michael Corbat refocuses on the biggest urban areas, three people with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Commonwealth Business Bank (CWBB) in Los Angeles has added veteran banker Alvin Kang to its board.

First Financial Northwest in Washington ousted a longtime CEO, while HopFed Bancorp in Kentucky seated an outsider on its board and canceled an acquisition, under pressure from activist shareholders. More banks can expect similar fights.

The thought of leaving their century-old headquarters didn't appeal to execs at MidWestOne, but neither did a makeover during the height of the recession. They're finally free to give their office space some overdue updates.

Tradehill Inc., a Bitcoin exchange, has ended its relationship with Internet Archive Federal Credit Union—announced only a few days earlier—and has suspended trading, blaming regulatory issues.

Bank of America became the latest bank to announce major mortgage layoffs.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. As excerpted from the Comments sections of AmericanBanker.com articles.

The chief risk officer of Scotiabank in Toronto is retiring, prompting several senior management changes.

Independent Bank in Ionia, Mich., is back on track with payments on its trust preferred stock.

WSFS Financial in Wilmington, Del., has repurchased preferred shares it issued the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Columbia Commercial Bancorp (CLBC) in Hillsboro, Ore., has completed a $6.6 million capital raise through a private placement offering.

Citizens Bank of Northern Kentucky has named Stephen Brunson its president and chief executive, replacing interim chief David Van Horn, who remains a director.