Regions Financial in Birmingham, Ala., has been restricted from acquiring other banks or opening new branches after it received a Community Reinvestment Act downgrade.

Banks are generally selling for less than they did before the financial crisis. Yet there have been select instances in which buyers have been willing to pay significant premiums to sellers' tangible book values. Here are the highest premiums since January 2015 for deals valued at $100 million or more.

The $325 million-asset State Bank said in a press release Tuesday that it will pay $29.6 million in cash and stock for the $206 million-asset Country Bank.

Citizens Community Bancorp in Eau Claire, Wis., has agreed to buy Old Murry Bancorp in Rice Lake, Wis.

Google's parent, Alphabet, should buy American International Group to expand into financial services, and turn the insurer into a laboratory for innovation, Citigroup's analysts said in a note Monday.

American International Group is expanding bets on property lending and safe fixed-income securities after hedge-fund investments soured.

Deutsche Bank plans to buy back about $5.4 billion of bonds, including some it issued barely a month ago, to reverse an investor stampede away from its stock and debt.

A rough economy, regulation and evolving technology will keep forcing small banks to merge, said Richard Hunt, head of the Consumer Bankers Association. Hunt's position puts him at odds with bank advocates, including Camden Fine at the Independent Community Bankers of America, who believe small banks should ignore the drumbeat calling for more consolidation.

Flagstar Bancorp in Troy, Mich., has launched a national homebuilder lending platform.

Sterling Bancshares in Poplar Bluff, Mo., has completed its purchase of Bootheel Bancorp in Poplar Bluff.

Banks' in-house venture funds tend to favor mature fintech companies, but BBVA's establishment of an outside fund should help the bank get in on the ground floor with early-stage companies.

Inspired by marketplace lenders, Live Oak Bancshares created a largely digital product that can make a credit decision on a small-business loan within 48 hours. The product, which combines human decision-making and automated credit scoring, could go national as early as next year.

Other countries have already lowered interest rates below zero, and the financial stability concerns of such a policy taking shape in the U.S. should not be dismissed.