NBNK Investments PLC Thursday made a sweetened offer for 632 branches belonging to Lloyds Banking Group PLC, as the investment vehicle ups the ante on its bid to create a challenger bank in the U.K.

John Mack, who stepped down as Morgan Stanley CEO last year, has joined the board of Lending Club, an online lending platform.

AUSTIN, Texas – A+ FCU on Wednesday said it plans to open a third high school branch in central Texas in Hendrickson High School in Pflugerville, which will be open to the public, as well as nearby elementary and middle schools.

Force-placed insurance has been taking flak from regulators, plaintiff attorneys and consumer groups. Here's how the head of the American Bankers Association's insurance unit sums up the controversy and explains the business.

Bank of America Corp. is realigning its business divisions to reflect a renewed focus simplifying the bank and to better sell various products aimed at the same customers.

Hugh C. Lane Jr. has stepped down as president and chief executive at the Bank of South Carolina (BKSC) and has been replaced by his longtime associate, Fleetwood S. Hassell.

Women and minorities own nearly 30% of all the businesses in California but many can't get the bank loans they need to grow their firms. California Bank & Trust in San Diego is aiming to change that — and bolster its own loan portfolio — with a new multi-pronged lending initiative targeting female and minority entrepreneurs.

William Lansing, who abruptly took over FICO in January, is trying to move the company beyond its embattled credit-score business.

The industry is like a 1920s Hollywood actor who does not understand the new technology, has not seen it coming and doesn't understand why the change is happening.

First Mariner and Beneficial Mutual are among the banks that have gained large stakes in competitors after borrowers defaulted on loans where stock was pledged as collateral.

Heritage Financial Group (HBOS) of Albany, Ga., is entering neighboring Alabama with an agreement to buy a branch in Auburn from the banking unit of Community Capital Bancshares.

Actor Ashton Kutcher has invested in mobile payments provider Dwolla and wants to "build a killer [bleeping] company in Iowa."

Shareholders of several community banks are facing big decisions this year, including approvals for executive compensation and adding directors intent on spurring M&A. A rise in shareholder activism adds to the intrigue. Here are some smaller banks that promise to have exciting, if not explosive, annual meetings.

Bank of America (BAC) wants to clear out the backlog of distressed homes in Florida by speeding up approvals of short sales.

With big deals still lacking, some bankers — including Umpqua's Ray Davis — are resorting to several small ones to move the needle.

Visa announced Wednesday a tool to help issuers spot fraud.

HAMP servicers completed 22,260 loan modifications in February, up 24% from the prior month, according to a Treasury Department report.

Roughly 33 full-timers will lose their jobs when Ally Financial closes its MBS broker/dealer operation, according to a company spokeswoman.

Three top executives at the recovering Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania (RBPAA) will retire from the company by the end of the year, including Robert R. Tabas, its chairman and CEO.

Overdraft fees are drawing increased regulatory and legal scrutiny, but they can still pack a punch. Just ask Wachovia (now Wells Fargo) accountholder Stu Straus, who mysteriously racked up $1,555.61 in overdraft fees.