The Pennsylvania company chose to sell to a much larger bank rather than buy smaller rivals or manage assets to delay added regulatory burden. More banks could follow that example. The only thing missing is interest from regional suitors.

The North Carolina regional bank is placing a big bet that targeting Pennsylvania's high earners will offset the state's reputation for having slower-than-average growth.

Activist investor Joseph Stilwell is demanding that Carroll Bancorp in Sykesville, Md., pick up the pace on stock buybacks.

The recapitalization will allow City National Bank to continue as a certified Community Development Financial Institution, the bank said.

Citigroup agreed to sell its Alternative Investor Services business to SS&C Technologies, a provider of software and investment services to the finance industry, for about $425 million.

The North Carolina company had made it clear it would pursue more acquisitions after closing its purchase of the $19 billion-asset Susquehanna Bancshares earlier this year.

First National Bank of Pana in Illinois has agreed to buy The State Bank of Blue Mound in Illinois.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Aug. 15.

First State Associates in Hawarden, Iowa, has agreed to buy Miner County Bank in Howard, S.D. The banks expect the deal to close later this quarter or early in the fourth quarter.

Cross County Bank in Wynne, Ark., has agreed to buy three Arkansas branches from SouthBank in Huntsville, Ala.

The $120 million-asset mutual thrift filed its application with federal regulators this month. Citizens expects the formation to be completed by the first quarter, Chief Executive Tommy Johnson said in an interview.

Entegra Financial in Franklin, N.C., has agreed to buy two South Carolina branches from Arthur State Bank in Union, S.C.

The Wall Street titan, having borne the costs of being a regulated bank for a number of years, is now looking to reap some of the benefits that come with a banking license.

Regional banks are selling more and more of the machines that big retailers use to count, store and deposit cash. As old-school as it sounds, it's making the banks money at a time when they need alternative revenue sources.

In his first interview since taking over HSBC's U.S. bank late last year, CEO Patrick Burke contends that the U.S. bank could prove to be HSBC's hidden gem provided it focuses on multinational corporate clients and cooperates better with its global affiliates.

BNC Bancorp in High Point, N.C., has agreed to buy Southcoast Financial in Mount Pleasant, S.C., for $95.5 million in stock.

Pioneer Bancshares in Dripping Springs, Texas, has struck a deal to merge with FC Holdings, the parent company of First Community Bank in Sugar Land, Texas.

Bank of America shareholders will vote Sept. 22 on whether its board was right to grant Chief Executive Brian Moynihan the additional title of chairman last year.

Goldman Sachs Group agreed to acquire an online banking unit from General Electric that has about $16 billion of deposits.

FNBH Bancorp in Michigan has been unable to make an important move without its primary regulator's OK in the six years since its nonperforming assets hit double digits. It's an extreme example of the tension between past problems and future visions that freezes many banks.