A recap of the informed opinions (and the discussions they generated) on BankThink this week.

Target Corp. said data related to shoppers' personal identification numbers was stolen during the recent breach of its debit and credit card system and that it's "confident" customers' accounts haven't been compromised because the information was encrypted.

A trio of lawsuits in West Virginia highlight the types of issues agencies are facing not just in the state but nationally.

Susquehanna Bancshares is doing a sale-leaseback of 30 branches to improve its capital planning. But over the long term, and more importantly to the industry overall, it could also help the bank get out of branches that may one day become obsolete.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. issued a prompt corrective action against AztecAmerica Bank in Berwyn, Ill., in November and hit two other banks with consent orders.

The Fed's planned reduction in bond purchases is expected to drive mortgage rates up by 50 basis points next year, further suppressing the refi market. The upshot: more competition in the purchase market.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Department of Justice filed a joint complaint against National City Bank for charging higher prices on mortgage loans to African-American and Hispanic borrowers than similarly creditworthy white borrowers between the years 2002 and 2008.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued a warning on the risks of virtual currencies, and the country's largest Bitcoin trading platform has shut down.

Old National Bancorp (ONB) in Evansville, Ind., will pay a $500,000 fine in the process of satisfying a regulatory order to strengthen its anti-laundering controls.

WashingtonFirst Bankshares (WFBI) in Reston, Va., is the latest lender to divest securities on concerns about the Volcker Rule's controversial ban on collateralized debt obligations.

The Federal Reserve Board has approved Community West Bancshares' (CWBC) request to pay dividends on preferred stock.

TipperCoin is attempting to combine two concepts that have faced strong headwinds in the past year: digital currency and Twitter-based payments.

Cathay General Bancorp in Los Angeles has announced a number of executive changes, including the appointment of Irwin Wong to the newly created position of chief retail administration and regulatory affairs officer.

Susquehanna Bancshares (SUSQ) in Lititz, Pa., has sold 30 branches to a SunTrust Banks (STI) subsidiary and agreed to lease them back.

The Columbus, Ga., company has overcome a series of challenges since 2008, yet it will face more in the coming year. CEO Kessel Stelling, in a Q&A, addresses questions about how it will boost revenue and profits.

Banks need startups to test the waters with new products and services, but startups need banks for their capital, infrastructure, large customer bases, established regulatory relationships and compliance training.

Banking regulators have until Monday to respond to a lawsuit filed by the American Bankers Association over the Volcker Rule.

The board of Carolina Trust Bank (CART) in Lincolnton, N.C., has recruited Jerry Ocheltree, the former leader of First Bancorp (FBNC), to be its next president and chief executive.

Deals involving large community and midsize banks dominated M&A in 2013. The motives and market conditions involved differed dramatically, but all the dealmakers had -- and in some cases still have -- tough questions to answer from regulators, investors and activists.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Dec. 21.