BNC Bancorp's deals to spend $48 million on two lenders with sizable levels of nonperforming assets show that strugglers can command stronger prices in markets where aggressive banks are under pressure to buy.

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) in Cincinnati has agreed buy First Bexley Bank, in a deal that would bring First Financial into the Columbus market.

Timberland Bancorp (TSBK) in Hoquiam, Wash., will buy back its remaining Troubled Asset Relief Program shares for about $12.1 million.

BNC Bancorp (BNCN) in High Point, N.C., announced two deals Wednesday that would significantly boost its presence in its home state.

The Winston-Salem, N.C., company said Wednesday that it agreed to buy 21 Citibank branches in Texas, along with $1.2 billion in deposits and $134 in loans.

The final Volcker Rule is much friendlier to syndicated lenders and collateralized loan obligations than earlier versions. However, some banks will still have to divest some CLO holdings, and leveraged lenders face other regulatory challenges.

Keith Darcy, longtime head of the Ethics & Compliance Officer Association and former director of E-Trade Bank and New York National Bank, has joined Deloitte's compliance group as a senior advisor.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Dec. 14.

Citigroup Inc. (C), the third-biggest U.S. bank by assets, sold its Metalmark Capital private-equity unit to comply with the Volcker Rule.

Union First Market Bancshares (UBSH) in Richmond, Va., plans to remake its board and expand its executive team after acquiring StellarOne (STEL) in Charlottesville, Va.

M&T Bank's (MTB) long-delayed purchase of Hudson City Bancorp (HCBK) could be held up until the end of 2014.

JPMorgan Chase is seeking to sell a global investment unit in a push to simplify operations by paring non-essential holdings, a person familiar with the matter said.

Early in the year Hanmi Financial in Los Angeles was poised to put itself up for sale. But its deal to buy a Texas bank with operations in six states could rearm Hanmi in its fight with BBCN Bancorp and Wilshire Bancorp to be the top Korean-American bank.

Fiserv was supposed to post a note on the website of an N.C. bank that BNC recently bought that redirected the acquisition's customers to BNC's site. Unfortunately, the note appeared on the wrong website -- that of a nearby rival.

Zions Bancorp (ZION) said the Volcker Rule will force it to take a $387 million charge on its portfolio of collateralized debt obligations.

Victory Bancorp in Limerick, Pa., and Huntingdon Valley in Warminster have agreed to a merger of equals.

Hanmi Financial (HAFC) in Los Angeles has agreed to buy Central Bancorp in Garland, Texas.

A group of employees at Black Diamond Capital Management are looking to buy Pacific National Bank.

LifeLock Inc., an identity theft protection provider, has purchased Lemon Inc. and its mobile wallet to absorb Lemon's features into its new LifeLock Wallet app.

A Chinese bad-debt management company's shares soared in their Hong Kong debut Thursday, indicating strong investor enthusiasm for a business that could flourish if the world's No. 2 economy stumbles.