Two large community banks merging in South Carolina could create the next Southeast regional player and acquirer of choice.

Less than a year after stepping down as chairman of Atlantic Coast Financial (ACFC) in Jacksonville, Fla., Jay Sidhu is seeking to oust three members of the company's board and replace them with a new slate of directors.

Many problems with payday products are concocted by activists and politicians with mercenary intent who are more interested in squelching innovation than letting people make choices for themselves.

More regional and community banks have selling noncumulative perpetual preferred stock to bolster Tier 1 capital and fund expansion.

After 10 years of helping to build up expectations at PNC, Bill Demchak will have to surpass them after he becomes CEO this spring.

First Financial Bankshares (FFIN) in Abilene, Texas, has agreed to buy Orange Savings Bank in Orange, Texas.

JPMorgan Chase (JPM) is facing another call from institutional investors to separate the roles of chairman and chief executive.

Securant Bank in Menomonee Falls, Wis., has agreed to sell its trust business to an Illinois bank.

PremierWest Bancorp's campaign to persuade shareholders to approve a merger with AmericanWest Bank has not yet reached its goal. The deal is on hold for one more month as the companies wait for proxy votes to come in.

Even as the financial crisis gives way to a recovery, everyone from Sen. Elizabeth Warren to comedian Stephen Colbert are demanding Washington get tough on banks and bankers. The question is what sort of action-if any-will follow.

Solera National Bancorp in Lakewood, Colo., is revisiting a deal that regulators blocked three years ago, with a few modifications.

A small Texas bank has agreed to pay $700,000 to settle allegations that it discriminated against Hispanic borrowers by charging them higher prices on unsecured consumer loans.

Huntington Bancshares is adding to its presence in West Virginia.

SCBT Financial in Columbia has agreed to buy First Financial Holdings in Charleston in a deal between South Carolina banks.

Elliott Management, a firm controlled by hedge fund manager Paul Singer, bought roughly 3.8 million shares of National Bank Holdings' stock during the fourth quarter, according to an SEC filing.

For the processor Total System Services (TSS), buying the prepaid card marketer NetSpend (NTSP) is transformational. For NetSpend it's going to be business as usual, the companies say.

Capital One is backpedaling from one of its two big deals last year, dumping a $7 billion credit card portfolio as it struggles to justify the rest of its investment.

Bank of America (BAC) has agreed to pay $12 million to settle a class action seeking overtime pay for Merrill Lynch workers.

Gold Coast Bank in Islandia, N.Y., is beginning its second round of financing after announcing that its fourth-quarter profit more than doubled.

A third-party arbitrator, responding to a complaint filed by Discover Financial Services (DFS), has ruled that JPMorgan Chase (JPM) did not mislead consumers regarding its Chase Freedom credit card.