WASHINGTON — Regulators closed Chicago-area Amcore Bank late Friday, putting the $3.8 billion-asset institution out of its misery on a night when six other institutions in and around the Windy City also failed.

TCF Financial Corp. reported its 60th consecutive quarterly profit last week in spite of worries that new limits on overdraft fees could hit the $18.2 billion-asset company particularly hard.

While it is not unusual to see a bank exhort its employees to help lobby on legislation, USAA Federal Savings Bank has taken it one step further by enlisting its 7.2 million customers.

GLENDALE, Calif. – Clearpath FCU this week opened a new branch in Fontana inside a Ralph’s Marketplace, one of the credit union’s sponsors.

MidSouth Community Federal Credit Union in Macon, Ga., is the latest credit union to take advantage of the growing inventory of bank branches on the market, agreeing to acquire two branches of the failed Security Bank from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Webster Financial Corp. of Waterbury, Conn., said Thursday that it recorded a $6.1 million first-quarter loss after repaying $100 million of a $400 million investment from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

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Valley National Bancorp of Wayne, N.J., on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings fell to $27.4 million, from $37.4 million a year earlier.

Though smaller companies may still bid on individual failed banks, they may have to enlarge their bids — perhaps significantly — to compete with package buyers.

PremierWest Bancorp in Medford, Ore., narrowed losses and reduced chargeoffs in the first quarter, the company reported Thursday.

MidSouth Community FCU is the latest credit union to take advantage of a growing inventory of bank branches on the market by agreeing to acquire two branches of failed Security Bank from the FDIC.

A Supreme Court decision yesterday could make it easier for consumers to sue collectors for sending erroneous collection notices.

MIDWEST

The South Financial Group in Greenville, S.C., reported Tuesday a large but narrowing first-quarter loss of $85.8 million. The $12.4 billion-asset company had lost $193.8 million a year earlier.

LANSING, Mich. – State officials approved tax breaks for 10 job creating projects, including a plan by PSCU Financial Services to expand its operations in Auburn Hills that will create more than 830 jobs.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard University officials have tentatively agreed to allow Harvard University Employees CU in the Student Organization Center in Harvard Yard.

BROCKPORT, N.Y. – The Monroe County Industrial Development Agency voted Tuesday to approve a $5,330 abatement of mortgage taxes and property taxes for Brockport FCU to facilitate the credit union’s plans for a new branch in Clarkson, the $5 million credit union’s second branch.

MACON, Ga. – MidSouth Community FCU is the latest credit union to take advantage of a growing inventory of bank branches on the market by agreeing to acquire two branches of failed Security Bank from the FDIC.

Sponsors of a Colorado Senate bill that would have barred the growing practice of merchants assessing surcharges on debit card transactions pulled the bill after it was amended to bar all automated teller machine surcharges.

After swinging to a first-quarter loss, PacWest Bancorp in San Diego — with a cleaned-up balance sheet — may be better poised to resume making winning bids for failed banks.