A thrift would become part of a commercial bank under a stock deal two New Jersey companies announced Tuesday.

If successful, Guaranty Financial Group Inc.'s bid for open bank assistance could pique the interest of private-equity firms in other ailing companies — but that's a big if.

Habersham Bancorp in Cornelia, Ga., said Monday that its bank unit has entered into a cease-and-desist order with the Department of Banking and Finance.

Joshua Siegel has been busy lately. The managing principal of StoneCastle Partners LLC hosted a daylong workshop in New York this month on how private-equity firms can find and acquire community banks. Last month he gave pointers to 50 Pennsylvania state bank examiners on analyzing risk at banks.

Guaranty Financial Group Inc. in Austin said Monday that it expects to fail unless the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. takes the rare step of assisting the $14.4 billion-asset company with a deal.

The bidding war over CNB Financial Corp. in Worcester, Mass., has a winner.

The difference between CAP and CPP is much more than a letter, and Citizens Republic Bancorp Inc. of Flint, Mich., may become the first company to reap the benefits.

Amcore Financial Inc. in Rockford, Ill., announced Friday that regulators have imposed higher capital requirements on its bank unit.

DENVER – Colorado State Employees CU has purchased a former branch of Bank of the West for $960,000.

TAMPA, Fla. – GTE FCU is hoping to build a new branch on a city-owned lot in the underserved midtown community in nearby St. Petersburg, known as the 22nd Street Corridor.

To the list of things dividing large and small banks, add the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Citing trouble with its construction loans, Cascade Financial Corp. in Everett, Wash., said Thursday that it expects to report a second-quarter loss of $19 million to $21 million.

Consider this simple question: Why does the government restrict the ability of pension funds, mutual funds and other kinds of institutional investors to invest in most banks? Banks are an industry in which "capital is king." Institutional investors control most of the world's capital. Their interests do not inherently conflict with banks'. So why put barriers between them?

An Idaho start-up bank has called off a private-equity deal that it had hoped would help it reach profitability.

MIDWEST

At least seven community banks have taken the Treasury Department up on its offer to make bigger capital injections under the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Still in a capital pinch, AmTrust Financial Corp. of Cleveland is selling more of its Ohio branches.

SAN FRANCISCO – 1st Pacific CU has sold a downtown office building at 131 Franklin St. for $3 million.

OSHKOSH, Wis. – CitizensFirst CU began construction yesterday on a new 30,000 square-foot green headquarters.

Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida is preparing to raise capital through a common stock offering, with one goal being to resume paying dividends on its government infusion.