NEW YORK — A federal appeals court has raised concerns about a lower court's decision last year to reject a $285 million civil settlement between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Citigroup Inc.

Last year, for the first time in anyone's recollection, there were no new bank charters approved, with the exception of three specifically blessed to acquire failed banks.

Citigroup has renewed a long-term deal to continue issuing private-label credit cards for Citgo Petroleum Corp., the bank said Thursday.

A trade group representing bank boards says directors have become "overwhelmed" by rules and regulations and is urging banking agencies and Congress to quickly take steps to ease their burden.

The Treasury Department in 2010 took a massive haircut on its investment in Pacific Capital and now stands to make roughly 90 cents on the dollar from the bank's sale to UnionBanCal. It's a reminder that taking your lumps early on problem assets can be beneficial.

Congress should repeal Sarbanes-Oxley to increase the flow of equity capital to micro- and small-cap public companies. Lawmakers also must increase the allotment for the SBA 7(a) program and guarantee it exists for the next three years.

A securities class-action lawsuit against Wilshire Bancorp Inc. in Los Angeles has been dismissed after the plaintiffs failed to file an amended complaint in the case.

Despite strong asset and deposit growth, First PacTrust Bancorp Inc. swung to a loss in the fourth quarter as the Irvine, Calif., company sharply increased its loan-loss provision to reflect both a surge in total loans and an increase in impaired loans.

Discover Financial Services is the latest card network to announce a conversion plan for the secure EMV chip-card standard in the U.S.

ECB Bancorp Inc. will no longer buy the deposits and certain assets of seven North Carolina branches from Hampton Roads Bankshares Inc. in Norfolk, Va., after funding for the deal fell through.

JACKSON, Miss. – Hope CU has acquired a former BancorpSouth bank branch in Utica, Miss., which will replace the credit union’s temporary branch in the Utica Town Hall.

The Treasury Department is planning a new strategy to recoup its Tarp investments: auctioning off outstanding preferred stock in six banks. The six are: Banner of Walla Walla, Wash.; First Financial of Charleston, S.C.; MainSource of Greensburg, Ind.; Seacoast in Stuart, Fla.; Wilshire in Los Angeles; and WSFS in Wilmington, Del.

Tom Grady resigns after eight months on the job to temporarily lead Florida's biggest insurer.

MB Financial Inc. in Chicago has repurchased $196 million of preferred shares issued to the Treasury Department as part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

The Federal Reserve's stress tests and capital decisions this week help clarify which banks can afford to buy, how much they can pay and which might need to sell.

Explore the negative impact of the Durbin Amendment on small businesses, including increased fees and reduced banking services, contrary to claims of negligible effects.

The majority of U.S. Bancorp customers have found ways to avoid paying monthly fees, after the bank phased out its "free" checking accounts, an executive told American Banker.

Starved for growth, several community banks are putting aside distrust from the financial crisis to seek out partners for bigger commercial loans.

Companies like American Express, Capital One and USAA have substantially expanded the amount of credit they offer to consumers through cards over the last two years, in contrast to the retrenchment at the three largest three issuers.

A new product from vendor Norse is designed to choke off online card fraud before it becomes a transaction — and before competing services from the card networks can kick in.