Bank securities held by the Treasury Department through the Troubled Asset Relief Program would no longer count toward a banking company's Tier 1 capital under the Senate's version of the reform bill, legal experts said.

WASHINGTON — Industry groups continued their full-court press Wednesday to keep an interchange provision out of the final regulatory reform bill, but whether they could succeed was an open question.

NEW ENGLAND

More bankers are grappling with the prospect that the government will soon go from being a passive investor in their companies to an influence in the boardroom.

The $3.2 billion-asset company announced late Tuesday that it had agreed to buy the privately held LaFollette First National Corp. for $16.1 million in cash, or $650 a share, about 1.05 times LaFollette's tangible book value.

The biggest banks continued to pay about half what the smallest banks paid for funding in the first quarter.

Re: "Despite Strength, Ag Lenders Face Heightened Reg Scrutiny" In 2008, I told all of our farm borrowers that my dad sold corn for $3.12 in August, 1975. By August, 1977, the price of corn below $1.60. Of course prices are going in the tank. That is not the time to sell.

Legislation to create a $30 billion fund to boost small-business lending is likely to pass the House this week and Senate leaders could consider it as early as next week.

Louisiana Bancorp Inc. in Metairie said it is repurchasing its stock for the eighth time since completing a mutual-to-stock conversion three years ago.

The Treasury Department announced it will auction off warrants today to purchase the common stock of Sterling Bancshares Inc. in Houston.

Three and a half years after selling Harbor Florida Bancshares Inc. at the top of the market, the company's former executives have decided it's time to buy.

WASHINGTON — Two days ahead of the official start of a conference on regulatory reform legislation, lawmakers were staking out positions on key issues and hinting at potential compromises.

An estimated 452 different collection agencies and creditors are named in 482 consumer statute lawsuits filed nationwide in the second half of May, according to data from U.S. District Court complaint dockets. In the first half of May, consumers sued an estimated 425 agencies and creditors in 495 consumer statute lawsuits.

The Federal Trade Commission approved a final settlement order with Dave & Buster's Holdings Inc., an entertainment and restaurant chain. The final order settles charges that the company failed to secure customers' sensitive credit and debit card information, resulting in "several hundred thousand dollars" in fraudulent charges. The FTC did not release an exact total.

The Treasury Department said Tuesday it plans to sell its 2.62 million warrants to buy Sterling Bancshares Inc. stock Wednesday.

U.S. consumers took on $1 billion more in debts in April, even as credit card balances declined for the 19th straight month, according to the Federal Reserve's monthly G.19 consumer credit report.

HARRISBURG, Penn. – Bellco Community CU is introducing a new branch in Gettysburg today.

SAGINAW, Mich. – Wildfire CU expanded its presence by opening a new high tech branch here yesterday.

DENVER – Bellco CU has signed an ATM outsourcing pact with Diebold, which will include upgrading its ATMs for enhanced deposit automation functionality.

Community Valley Bank reported that total assets rose nearly 10% in the first quarter. Heading into its third year in business, the El Centro, Calif., bank said Friday that it expects to become profitable in 2010 based on growth in earning assets.