The Federal Reserve should require community groups to disclose the contributions they receive from banks in order to ensure that controversial mergers receive fair public hearings.

Prosperity Bancshares in Houston has ended a short, self-imposed break from acquisitions, agreeing to buy Tradition Bancshares in Houston.

Coast Bancorp has sold two buildings next to its bank's headquarters in San Luis Obispo, Calif., and has refinanced debt.

Old Line Bancshares in Bowie, Md., has agreed to buy Regal Bancorp in Owings Mills, Md.

Summit Financial Group in Moorefield, W.Va., said its employee stock-ownership plan has acquired a stake in the company from a Louisiana bank.

Heritage Oaks Bancorp in Paso Robles, Calif., has purchased of $3 million worth of its trust-preferred securities.

Washington Trust has significantly increased its deposit market share in Rhode Island in the past five years, without buying any banks, and is casting its eye across the state's borders. We talk growth strategy with the company's CEO and its COO.

H&R Block said it received regulatory approval to sell its bank unit to BofI Federal Bank and expects to exit Federal Reserve oversight.

An Astoria Financial investor is demanding that the Lake Success, N.Y., company explore a possible sale or other ways to increase shareholder value.

First Bancorp, OFG Bancorp and Popular Inc. have been trimming exposure to central government loans in recent years to limit their exposure to a financial crisis. Most still bank the island's municipalities, though they have strict underwriting and collateral to protect their interests.

F.N.B. Corp. in Pittsburgh has agreed to buy Metro Bancorp in Harrisburg, Pa.

Anchorage Capital Group and Carlyle Group have priced their final offering of common stock in Central Pacific Financial in Honolulu.

MutualFirst Financial in Muncie, Ind., which is under pressure from an activist investor to sell itself, has agreed to buy the trust business of First Bank of Berne in Indiana.

Lakeland Bancorp in Oak Ridge, N.J., has agreed to buy Pascack Bancorp in Waldwick, N.J.

ASB Bancorp in Asheville, N.C., has received its second challenge in less than a month from an activist investor. The latest seeks a sale of the company.

First Foundation in Irvine, Calif., has begun an initial public offering to raise up to $100 million.

The small-business lender's shift 18 months ago to a marketplace player that sells loans to investors paid off handsomely in the second quarter.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Aug. 1.

A high percentage of loans to oil and gas firms are large and syndicated. As a result, more shared loans are becoming problematic for participating lenders.

Battery Ventures, a tech-focused investment firm, has agreed to acquire Physical Security Business Unit, part of the security division of Nice Systems, a vendor that focuses primarily on the financial services industry.