A downgrade could deliver a massive economic hit, affecting the quality of banks' assets and the value of their swollen investment portfolios, economists and other observers say.

Market evolution in recent decades has made it harder and harder for smaller institutions to access capital. Meanwhile, regulatory restrictions impede alternatives that could fill the void.

What a difference a couple of years makes.

Joe Evans, the chairman and CEO of State Bank Financial Corp., better hope there's no Sports Illustrated-like jinx associated with Bank Director magazine. The Atlanta bank ranked No. 1 on the magazine's 2011 Bank Performance Scorecard in its third-quarter issue.

Buoyed by improving asset quality, National Penn Bancshares reported earnings of $23.3 million in the second quarter, compared to a loss of $5.5 million in the same period last year.

Green Dot Corp.'s top executive says its reloadable prepaid cards will be exempt from the Federal Reserve Board's new rules limiting debit card interchange.

BankUnited Inc. said Wednesday that second quarter net income fell 14% compared with a year earlier partly because of lower payments coming from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. related to its loss-share agreement.

The agency's final rule contains glaring legal errors and whitewashes the role preemption played in enabling the lending excesses that precipitated the crisis.

Cascade Bancorp in Bend, Ore., announced this week that President and Chief Executive Officer Patricia L. Moss has notified its board that she intends to retire in July of next year.

The pressure is on Comerica CEO Ralph Babb to prove the deal, which closed Thursday, was worth it. American Banker offers him some free talking points.

U.S. consumer bankcard delinquencies hit a record low in June, while charge-off rates also improved again.

Bolstered by its acquisitions of two failed banks, Columbia Banking System Inc. in Tacoma, Wash., said Thursday that it earned $8.6 million in the second-quarter, an increase of 119% from the same period last year.

Hell-bent on protecting its dominant share of the U.S. debit card market amid new regulations, Visa Inc. introduced pricing incentives for merchants to route more transactions over its network.

Aided by growth in its residential mortgage portfolio, Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., reported a profit of $36.9 million in the second quarter, up 12% from the same period last year.

The Federal Reserve on Thursday announced written agreements with four banks, including the $2 billion-asset Old Second Bancorp Inc. in Aurora, Ill.

If banks can track borrowers' interest rates and terms, how hard can it be for them to track which borrowers are serving in the military?

Consumers filed an estimated 524 consumer statute lawsuits in the first half of July, down from 567 in the second half of June.

Tennessee Commerce Bancorp has come up with a novel solution for settling a past-due loan made to another bank holding company: forgive the loan and take control of the borrower's two subsidiary banks.

Diebold said it is providing automated teller machines that will improve security at 100 BB&T locations.

Federal banking regulators are preparing guidance to address issues if the debt ceiling is not raised before Aug. 2, while large bank CEOs are calling for action.