Banks in the Magnolia State have built up capital and profits, and their owners are hoping the state's poor national reputation will shield them for a while from big rivals and M&A trends.

Investors are buying more of the riskier portions of collateralized loan obligations, fueling the CLO market and demand for bank loans.

Cattail Bancshares in Atwater, Minn., has finally landed a deal after several years on the prowl. The $120 million-asset company has agreed to buy the $61 million-asset Citizens State Bank of Waverly.

Customers Bancorp's third-quarter earnings increased by 184% from a year earlier after the Wyomissing, Pa., company grew its balance sheet.

Oriental Financial Group (OFG) has priced its public offering that will it raise capital to buy the Puerto Rican operations of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria.

Ally Bank has started to explore strategic alternatives for its business lending operations and its servicing rights on agency mortgages.

Investors Bancorp (ISBC) in Short Hills, N.J., reported higher third-quarter earnings because of loan growth and better credit.

Citigroup Inc. (C) was fined $2 million after a junior analyst improperly disclosed confidential information before Facebook Inc.'s initial public offering, Massachusetts' top financial watchdog said.

EverBank Financial (EVER) showed during the third quarter that it was willing to sacrifice its net interest margin to build both sides of its balance sheet.

Joseph Ficalora, the CEO of New York Community Bancorp, blames the tumble in its shares this week on traders betting against the company ahead of its third-quarter earnings report.

C.G. Kum, the CEO of First California Financial Group, gave inconclusive answers to analysts' questions about whether the $2 billion-asset company can resist shareholder calls to seek buyer.

Experts believe more Tarp participants will fail as the economy plods along, and that investors should keep this in mind when bidding on auctions of the Treasury's Tarp holdings.

Yadkin Valley Financial has raised $45 million through a private placement and said it will use the funds to "complete strategic classified asset disposition sales."

The New York firm led by Joseph Stilwell disclosed stakes in four new thrifts and cashed out of 10 other institutions during the third quarter. Its investments often signal plans to pressure companies to improve shareholder value.

A pickup in lending lifted First California Financial Group (FCAL) in Westlake Village in the third quarter.

Third-quarter income at Susquehanna Bancshares (SUSQ) more than doubled as loan growth soared, partly from two recent acquisitions.

Nationstar Mortgage bid roughly $2.907 billion for the origination and servicing assets of Residential Capital Corp., about $93 million shy of the top bid placed by Ocwen Financial and its partner Walter Investment Management Corp.

General Electric held takeover talks with New Jersey's Hudson City Bancorp shortly before the lender agreed to a $3.7 billion sale to M&T Bank in August, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

A state law that eased restrictions on credit card rates in Ohio influenced the move, the Columbus company said.

Leaders of the largest banks are using third-quarter calls to discuss a reluctance to pursue bank acquisitions. The underlying message? Smaller banks are likely to spur the next big wave of consolidation.