Waterstone Financial (WSBF) in Wauwatosa, Wis., has begun a common stock offering tied to its second-step conversion.

The central bank is making clear it has doubts about the private sector's ability to implement a faster electronic payments system on its own.

Government payment processor General Payment Systems has signed an agreement with Riverside Superior Court in California to support alternative payments.

Rockville Financial (RCKB) in Rockville, Conn., will merge with United Financial Bancorp (UBNK) in West Springfield, Mass.

With growing numbers of health care professionals urging patients to use medical credit card to pay for treatments not covered by insurance plans, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a consumer alert Thursday on the risks linked to health care financing.

Moody's downgraded the ratings of Morgan Stanley (MS), Goldman Sachs (GS), JPMorgan Chase (JPM) and Bank of New York Mellon (BK) Thursday.

The House Financial Services Committee passed several bills on Thursday, including regulatory relief legislation for community banks and credit unions.

Financial regulators acknowledged Thursday that the data they use to determine fair lending violations in certain cases could be improved, but said they would not stop using such information.

An out-of-court settlement in Mount Holly, N.J., means that the court will not weigh in on whether the controversial legal theory can be used in fair-lending cases.

Old Line Bancshares in Bowie, Md., agreed to disclose more information about a recent acquisition when challenged by shareholders, but it refused to pay any money. That rare resistance could embolden other banks to fight such suits harder, experts say.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has lifted an Oct. 2010 consent order against Santa Clara Valley Bank in Santa Paula, Calif.

Nationstar, Ocwen and Walter Investment picked a tough time to make an aggressive push into mortgage lending, but their efforts could pay off once new mortgage rules kick in.

Social media can be treacherous for any large firm. Just ask JPMorgan Chase, which provoked a frenzy this week after its #AskJPM hashtag was hijacked by angry customers. Big banks arguably face more challenges than other large corporations because, while they must use social media to reach out to customers, they still face substantial reputation damage from the financial crisis. Following are some of the worst experiences banks have had to date.

How can banks charge their customers more without inviting their outrage? By introducing new services to off-set the fees and by communicating clearly with their customers, according to some small banks. American Banker reporters discuss other tips for companies that are trying to raise their prices but keep their customers happy.

A response to John Bowman.

Until the Fed threatens to raise rates soon, commercial borrowers will take their time seeking credit, and the economy will keep plodding along, the U.S. Bancorp CEO Richard Davis says.

Capital One takes a bold idea and runs with it in a new promotional video featuring adventurer Jonathan Watson using its mobile banking app while participating in Atlanta’s Great Bull Run.

Suffolk Bancorp (SUBK) in Riverhead, N.Y., has settled a longstanding lawsuit from investors.

Valley Financial (VYFC) in Roanoke, Va., has exited the Troubled Asset Relief Program with the repurchase of a warrant the company issued to the Treasury Department in 2008.

A branch is no longer just a "full-service thing" but a wide range of service points that include bare-bones express locations and the smartphone in your pocket, Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan said this week.