Illinois

Wintrust Financial's fourth-quarter earnings fell 7% from a year earlier, to $35.5 million, as a revenue surge failed to offset the higher costs associated with recent acquisitions.

First Midwest Bancorp in Itasca, Ill., plans to close branches and sell unwanted real estate as customers shift to online banking.

Royal Financial in Chicago has agreed to buy Park Bancorp in Chicago.

The $22 billion-asset Winstrust said in a press release Thursday that it will pay $30 million in cash for the parent of the $125 million-asset Foundations Bank.

The $3.9 billion-asset holding company for Busey Bank redeemed all its remaining shares in the program at a total redemption price of about $72.8 million.

Bank of America has promoted Merrill Lynch wealth management executive Paul Lambert to be the bank's Chicago market president.

An interbank loan market that was created for small and regional banks has begun operations, recording $15 million in transactions on its first day.

The $3.8 billion-asset First Busey said in a press release Thursday that it will pay $210.7 million, or $17.24 a share, in stock for the $1.5 billion-asset Pulaski.

Northern Trust in Chicago has agreed to acquire Aviate Global, an institutional equity brokerage firm in the U.K.

MB Financial in Chicago has agreed to buy American Chartered Bancorp in Chicago.