Citigroup said it agreed to buy American Express' stockpile of U.S. credit card loans made to shoppers of Costco Wholesale, as the fourth-largest U.S. bank takes over a card partnership with the retailer. Terms were not disclosed.

China Life Insurance, the nation's largest insurer, agreed to buy Citigroup's stake in China Guangfa Bank for $3 billion.

Buying and selling branches is routine for a lot of banks, but it's big news at First National Bank of Dwight in Illinois.

Texas has had a fair share of M&A since the financial crisis, but deal volume has declined since oil prices began to plummet in late 2014. Uncertainty over sellers' exposure and depressed stock prices for aspiring buyers are largely to blame.

The bank's approval last year to buy OneWest Bank included a condition to submit an updated Community Reinvestment Act plan, but the CRA program now being presented by CIT is far from adequate.

After the financial crisis led to a long nationwide drought in the creation of new banks, the second de novo bank application in less than a year has been submitted in California.

The company has linked compensation for its top 16 executives, along with several hundred other employees, to its ability to achieve certain cost savings. It has also been tracking its expense cutting on a monthly basis, executives said during a biennial investor day.

Preparing for the inevitable future credit crisis by setting aside more loss reserves is a step toward avoiding government bailouts.

Though bank analysts like Matthew Schultheis generally expect M&A activity to continue at a brisk pace for several years to come, stock market volatility could prove to be an issue for potential dealmakers in the near term.

County Bank, the holding company for the $324 million-asset Lapeer County Bank & Trust, said in a press release that it will pay $20 million, or $27 a share, in stock for the parent of the $245 million-asset CSB Bank.

Though bank analysts like Matthew Schultheis generally expect M&A activity to continue at a brisk pace for several years to come, stock market volatility could prove to be an issue for potential dealmakers in the near term. With a lower stock price, buyers may end up not being able to pay as much as sellers now expect, says Schultheis, who covers the financial services sector for Boenning & Scattergood. Here’s his outlook on bank M&A, including the number of deals he anticipates will happen this year and whether big banks might be among the buyers.

Kopernik Bank and Liberty Bank of Maryland, both mutual thrifts in Baltimore, have agreed to merge. No money would change hands given the mutual-ownership structures involved in the deal.

The private-banking prowess of newly acquired City National was the steadying influence Royal Bank of Canada needed amid global and domestic economic shocks in its latest quarter.

The Winston-Salem, N.C., regional banking company said the purchase of Swett & Crawford should boost its annual insurance revenue by $200 million, or 15%. The cash acquisition also represents a reallocation of the rest of BB&T's approved share repurchases under last year's CCAR.

Sandhills State Bank in Bassett, Neb., has agreed to buy Bank of Keystone in Keystone, Neb.

Chase Pay is tied to the issuer's 94 million credit, debit and prepaid card accounts, representing half of U.S. households. Depending on the perspective, this means Chase's wallet either starts with — or excludes — half of the market.

Midland States Bancorp in Effingham, Ill., has agreed to buy about $400 million in wealth management assets from Sterling Bancorp in Yonkers, N.Y.

Yes, all the big banks are paring their balance sheets to comply with new rules and axing expenses to please shareholders, but JPMorgan is simultaneously targeting affluent cities for branch and deposit growth.

Hampton Roads Bankshares agreed to take Xenith Bankshares' name and move to the seller's Richmond, Va., headquarters as part of a recent deal. The move gives the surviving company heft in a growing market that is attractive to other potential acquirers.

NASB Financial in Grandview, Mo., has agreed to buy Lexington B&L Financial in Lexington, Mo.