Thinly traded First Trust Bank was a popular stock with investors early Friday after rumors circulated that the Charlotte community bank could soon be acquired.

Investors Bancorp (ISBC) in Short Hills, N.J., reported a profit of $18.9 million in the quarter that ended March 31, up about 4% from the same period last year, as an acquisition and continued organic growth helped boost earning assets.

Hancock Holding's (HBHC) shares tumbled Friday morning after the Gulfport, Miss., company reported that its first-quarter earnings fell short of expectations as its allowance for loan losses rose.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has extended the comment period until June 29 for its public inquiry into overdraft practices.

Calling it a "milestone in its global growth," Silicon Valley Bank announced late Thursday that it has received permission from British banking authorities to open a full-service banking office in London.

The deal would give Wells an entrée into prime brokerage and continues its niche M&A strategy.

Citigroup Inc. said Friday it tapped Tatsuo Tanaka, deputy president of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., as chairman of Citigroup Japan Holdings.

Buoyed by growth in the number of active cards, Green Dot reported first-quarter earnings of $17.1 million, up 35% from the same period a year earlier.

Citizens Republic Bancorp (CRBC) in Flint, Mich., reported its fourth-straight quarterly Thursday profit as loan quality continued to improve and a surge of new deposits helped generate fresh income from investment securities.

The investment bank FBR & Co. (FBRC) announced Thursday that longtime Chairman Eric F. Billings will step down in June and that he will be replaced by the firm's president and chief executive, Richard J. Hendrix.

He will succeed Edgar Ancona, who is retiring after 18 years with the company, at the end of June.

As revenue growth diminishes, more community banks are looking to expand their wealth management and trust operations. A number of them, including Iberiabank and Wintrust, are turning to acquisitions for growth.

Texas Capital Bancshares' (TCBI) stock zoomed to an all-time high Thursday after the Dallas company handily beat first-quarter earnings projections and the investment firm Sterne Agee & Leach upgraded its shares from neutral to buy.

Asset quality might be paramount, but there are other things sellers need to consider as they seek to attract buyers. The list includes avoiding long-term contracts, trimming expenses and retaining key employees.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a written agreement with North Valley Bancorp (NOVB) in response to the Redding, Calif., company's improved financial condition.

Lois Kreitzer is a regular at shareholder meetings of the Pittsburgh bank. She and PNC CEO James Rohr made nice during the Q&A session at this year's meeting — and then she got in a couple jabs.

Bar Harbor Bankshares (BHB) in Maine is getting some love from analysts following its record earnings performance in the first quarter.

MetLife Thursday afternoon said it will exit the reverse mortgage business — where it ranks among the top five producers — selling the division to Nationstar Mortgage of Texas.

An arm of Occupy Wall Street posted a letter to Citi CEO Vikram Pandit on Thursday, reiterating its request for a meeting with him.

When I see my name in print included alongside names like Sheila Bair, Tom Hoenig, Richard Fisher, and Simon Johnson, I take notice.