With its expenses continuing to run above its long-term expectations, Huntington Bancshares Inc. said Thursday that is planning to close 29 free-standing branches across its six-state network during the first quarter.

A good-news/bad-news story is the best way to describe fourth quarter 2011 results. The numbers also hold clues to where the banking business is heading.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau revealed details Thursday about how it plans to examine payday lenders, while Director Richard Cordray said it will move immediately to stop certain practices.

B of A showed improvement in the fourth quarter, but it is counting on its ability to expand through earnings as well as keep legal and repurchase costs in check. That is a tall order.

Did an anonymous open letter to BankUnited CEO John Kanas, emailed to all of the bank's employees, imploring him not to sell the bank really have an impact on the decision to abandon the sale?

Tiny Square-like card swiping gadget available to those remaining merchants and consumers who still favor the BlackBerry.

Westamerica Bancorp. in San Rafael, Calif., reported fourth-quarter earnings of $21.8 million, down 8% from a year earlier.

Gateway Bancshares Inc. in Ringgold, Ga., is selling itself to rival First Volunteer Corp. in Chattanooga, Tenn., and its chief executive said that the decision was driven largely by the need for scale.

Kelly King said he is willing to pass on deals, a day after its reported target, BankUnited, opted to remain independent.

Republic Bancorp Inc. in Louisville, Ky., reported on Thursday fourth-quarter results of $6.2 million, partially driven by loan growth and improved asset quality, and year-end earnings of $94.1 million, due to higher income from its Tax Refund Solutions.

BancorpSouth has selected TSYS to process its debit card and consumer and commercial credit cards.

Transact24's T24 Black Visa card has a $240 activation fee and a $15 monthly fee, which is waived for the first year. Users of the card can load up to $50,000 and get perks like access to VIP airport lounges and travel insurance.

Glacier Bancorp Inc. in Kalispell, Mont., is planning to collapse its 11 bank subsidiaries into a single commercial bank in a move aimed at streamlining its operations and lowering its overall compliance costs.

MERS is settling a lawsuit that claims foreclosed borrowers were overcharged for attorneys' fees that the mortgage registry did not actually incur.

Wintrust Financial Corp. in Lake Forest, Ill., reported late Wednesday that its fourth-quarter earnings rose 35% from a year earlier, to $19.2 million, as credit costs subsided and the company benefited from an 11% jump in earning assets from a year earlier.

Higher fee income and lower costs tied to deposits and operations helped CVB Financial Corp. more than double its fourth-quarter profit from a year ago.

Proximiant is attempting to create a mobile payment system that focuses on digital receipts and rewards. And it leaves payments out of the process.

Buoyed by improved asset quality and a surge in commercial loan originations, Webster Financial Corp. in Waterbury, Conn., said Thursday that its fourth-quarter net income jumped 63% from the same period in 2010, to $39.6 million.

Bank of America Corp. closed out the turbulent 2011 year with better-than-expected revenue in the final three months, driving the bank to a fourth-quarter profit compared with the prior year's loss.

BankUnited issued a press release confirming rumors that it did in fact engage an investment bank to find a possible buyer for the company, but has opted to stay independent.