Continuing with its plan to bulk up in fast-growing markets in the West, First State Bancorp of Albuquerque has struck a deal that would nearly double its branch network in Colorado's Front Range.

Now that it has wrapped up its corporate restructuring, First Financial Bancorp in Hamilton, Ohio, is turning its attention to building its retail business.

Whitney Holding Corp. of New Orleans announced Thursday that it has agreed to buy the $258 million-asset Signature Financial Holdings Inc. in St. Petersburg, Fla., for $62 million in cash and stock.

Capitol Bancorp Ltd, of Lansing, Mich., has opened its first Ohio banking unit, Bank of Maumee.

MIDWEST

Thin margins, uncertainty about the path of interest rates, and a rapidly dimming housing market have done little to dampen the pace of mutual-to-stock conversions this year.

BankAtlantic Bancorp Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said it plans to continue its expansion in its home state by opening at least four branches in Orlando next year.

Camden National Corp. in Maine has combined its two banking subsidiaries under the name of its flagship bank, Camden National Bank.

Irwin Financial Corp. of Columbus, Ind., has opened two offices in the Arizona cities of Glendale and Mesa.

Since Mercantile Potomac Bank began holding Community Shred days last year, thousands of people - including many noncustomers - have shown up at its parking lots to destroy old bank statements, credit card bills, and anything else that identity thieves could fish out of the trash.

Shares of First Republic Bank of San Francisco plunged Monday on news that its third-quarter earnings would fall short of estimates.

Following the lead of credit unions in several other states, at least 14 Pennsylvania credit unions are teaming up to offer their members a cheaper alternative to payday loans.

Patriot Bank can't spend its capital fast enough.

Amalgamated Bank in New York says it is eyeing expansion into neighborhoods where other banks are not.

BankUnited Financial Corp., a Coral Gables, Fla., company already under investor fire for its reliance on option adjustable-rate mortgages, ran into a new problem last week over loans to a troubled real estate project.

A new industry index aims to quantify the progress of corporate payments in 2006 and as far out as 2008.

For all the ballyhoo about HSAs, one thing is being overlooked: How to make it easy for consumers to actually open them.

Green goes a lot farther when banks build "green".