Private mortgage insurance and "senior-sub" securitization structures have advantages that could accelerate private capital's return to the mortgage market, despite the lumps they took during the crisis.

Panelists at an industry conference staged a feisty debate over the future of the bank branch. Based on the audience's reaction, it may be time to start planning the branch's funeral.

The $2.9 billion-asset parent of BofI Federal Bank said Monday it seeks as much as $50 million for general corporate purposes through the sale of common stock, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Institutions with at least $10 billion in assets approved 15.9% of loans between $25,000 and $3 million in February, up from 15.3% in January and from 11.7% a year earlier, according to Biz2Credit.

The future of retail banking has rarely been murkier. Here are five questions about branches, layoffs, technology and revenues that bankers need to be asking.

As banks struggle to find new sources of profitable business, are some making risky loans, delving into areas where they have little experience or are otherwise stretching in ways that they will eventually regret.

An industry lawyer predicts enforcement actions against banks that allowed automatic withdrawals against their customers' expressed wishes.

A rise in shareholder lawsuits following deal announcements has prompted insurers to vet clients' M&A plans and raise the deductibles banks must pay to settle claims.

Using data commonly available on most core systems, a relatively simple, inexpensive concentration stress testing model can bring value.

Ally Bank continued its retreat from home lending by agreeing Tuesday to sell a portfolio of mortgage servicing rights to Ocwen Financial Corp. (OCN) for roughly $585 million.

Rep. Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House banking panel, is asking whether the Fed can lawfully transfer funds to the CFPB if the agency is without a director.

Bank of Commerce Mortgage is now Commerce Mortgage. The West Coast mortgage lender and servicer announced Tuesday that it has changed its name to reflect its new ownership.

A top Citigroup executive has been named risk manager of the year. Brian Leach, the head of franchise risk and strategy at the nation's third-largest bank by assets, earned the honor, which the Global Association of Risk Professionals bestowed on Tuesday.

Heritage has agreed to pay $44.2 million for Valley Community Bancshares in Puyallup, Wash., the holding company for the $242 million-asset Valley Bank, the companies announced Tuesday.

Sunrise Community Banks in St. Paul, Minn., plans to combine three bank charters.

First BanCorp in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said that one of its directors resigned over a personal issue with another member of the board.

Gulfstream Bancshares, a closely held Florida business lender with four branches and equity of about $66 million, has put itself up for sale, said two people with knowledge of the matter.

The most notable quotes from American Banker stories of the previous week. Readers are encouraged to add their own observations in the Comments fields at the bottom of each slide.

FirstMerit (FMER) has hired a veteran banker to lead its operations in Wisconsin.

The $143.8 million-asset company said Monday it had named Jeffry Wagner to the post. Wagner, who had been CFO at Florida Business Bank in Melbourne, succeeded Richard Browdy, who resigned in February to pursue other career opportunities.