As a result, Gulf Coast bankers are optimistic about the potential for new business stemming from the recovery effort after the recent oil spill.

A federal judge in Atlanta unsealed an indictment Friday charging two former executives at Integrity Bank and a hotel developer with fraud tied to more than $80 million in loans from the Atlanta-area bank, which was seized in August 2008.

The Federal Reserve announced enforcement actions Friday against the South Financial Group Inc., moves to help maintain financial soundness at the company, according to the Fed order.

Through the first four months of 2010, the number of lawsuits filed citing Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) violations is far ahead of the record pace set in 2009, according to data from the U.S. District Courts. Consumers filed an estimated 3,262 FDCPA cases through April.

MIDWEST

Northwest Bancshares Inc. in Warren, Pa., has agreed to buy NexTier Inc. in Butler, Pa., for $20.3 million, the companies announced late Wednesday.

Integra Bank Corp. in Evansville, Ind., has a new strategy for addressing its problem assets: Get them off the books as quickly as possible.

Banks with good management should be given time to work through asset-quality issues or to acquire problem banks under current capital standards.

TransUnion's Credit Risk Index (CRI) declined in the first quarter after five straight quarterly increases, indicating that consumer credit risk conditions in the U.S. are improving.

Small banks will likely have to raise capital in the coming years, while bigger institutions are doing much better than a year ago, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday.

Several recent economic indicators show that the recovery is gaining strength, but still isn't growing fast enough to bring down the unemployment rate.

AUGUSTA, Maine – cPort CU plans to tear down a former Bonanza Steakhouse here and build a branch at the site.

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Alliance CU has signed with Diebold to manage its ATMs and upgrade its ATM fleet with deposit automation.

The vultures are circling around Midwest Banc Holdings Inc., and it's a scene that could become increasingly common as competition for failed banks intensifies nationwide.

Nearly 30 years after the department store chain set out to become "the largest financial services entity," as its then-chairman put it, Sears is once again challenging banks.

Probably the most important lesson that I learned while working for a "low-key 'country banker'" was the value of a work ethic and optimistic outlook.

Tower Financial of Fort Wayne, Ind., agreed to draft a plan that would strengthen oversight of its management, the Federal Reserve said.

Square Mile Capital Management LLC has won the bidding for a portion of the assets the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. acquired when it seized Atlanta's Silverton Bank a year ago.

It's still early in the seemingly endless community bank earnings season, but higher expectations so far are being rewarded with firmer results.

Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin Inc. in Madison has bought itself more time from its lender. The struggling, $4.6 billion-asset company announced late Monday that U.S. Bancorp had agreed to put off for a year the due date on a $116.3 million loan