North Carolina

Even absent a rate hike, executives believe that the banking giant can still improve profits by hitting this expense target.

Gov. Pat McCrory on Wednesday signed the North Carolina Money Transmitters Act, as requested by the state banking commissioner's office.

North Carolina has lost more than 40% of its banks in the past decade, creating a new tier of larger institutions. More deals are expected to occur, raising questions about the pace of M&A and the fate of those bigger banks.

The Charlotte, N.C., company on Thursday appointed Michael White, former chairman and chief executive at DirecTV, effective immediately.

First Bancorp in Southern Pines, N.C., has agreed to buy Carolina Bank Holdings for $97.3 million, or $19.26, in cash and stock.

First Citizens BancShares in Raleigh, N.C., has terminated five of its nine loss-share agreements with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The $3.2 billion-asset Park Sterling announced this week that it will hire four commercial and industrial bankers from the $2.3 billion-asset CommunityOne Bancorp to help expand its commercial banking team in the Charlotte metropolitan area.

First South Bancorp survived a close vote on a shareholder proposal to "immediately" take steps to sell the Washington, N.C., company.

Yadkin Financial, a North Carolina community bank, is exploring a sale and working with Sandler O'Neill & Partners to solicit offers, according to people familiar with the matter.

First Citizens BancShares in Raleigh, N.C., has agreed to buy Cordia Bancorp in Midlothian, Va.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., plans to cut 240 jobs and close 28 branches as part of its integration of National Penn Bancshares.

Lola Hart, who oversaw the liquidation of the controversial CertusBank in South Carolina, has been hired as the chief accounting officer of Entegra Financial in Franklin, N.C.

Paragon Commercial Bank, Unity Bancorp and Nicolet Bankshares have found success by radically rethinking their strategies.

High Point Bank considered bulking up to the size of other community banks in its market but quickly realized that the strategy would involve significant expense, risk and capital. So the company ended up selling to BNC Bancorp.

B of A is normally thought of as a U.S. economic bellwether, but it has substantial operations overseas, and its international performance last quarter provided a painful reminder of that fact.

Bank of America, the second-biggest U.S. lender by assets, said profit declined 13% on a drop in trading and underwriting revenue and a 30% increase in provisions for credit losses, mostly tied to souring energy loans.

BNC Bancorp in High Point, N.C., has delayed the closing of its acquisition of Southcoast Financial in Mount Pleasant, S.C., as the Federal Reserve has not completed its review of the deal.

HomeTrust Bancshares in Asheville, N.C., will name a the former North Carolina market president for Fifth Third Bancorp to its board, along with two other professionals.

Carolina Trust Bank in Lincolnton, N.C., has revised downward its fourth-quarter results because of accounting changes related to its retirement plan and an acquisition from years ago.

Capital Bank Financial in Charlotte, N.C., will record a first-quarter $5.5 million net loss, after it agreed to an early termination of its loss-share agreements tied to three failed banks.