Americas

The Federal Reserve on Thursday announced that it had entered into a written agreement with a banking company while also disclosing the termination of a prior order.

VIST Financial Corp. in Wyomissing, Pa., notified investors Thursday that it is planning to raise up to $30 million in a stock offering.

The Treasury Department has ordered board appointments to two banking companies that have missed dividend payments on its bailout investments.

Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. said Thursday that second quarter net earnings rose 32%, to $8.3 million, compared with a year earlier after it slashed its provision by 80%.

Banner gained $1.9 million from fair value adjustments on certain financial instruments, which played a key role in its quarterly profit of $224,000.

Shares of Astoria Financial Corp. were down in heavy trading Thursday after the Lake Success, N.Y., company reported second-quarter earnings that fell well short of analysts' estimates.

First Niagara Financial Group Inc. in Buffalo said Tuesday that its second-quarter net income fell 32.3% from the same period last year, to $13.6 million, primarily on costs related to its $1.5 billion acquisition of NewAlliance Bancshares and other items.

Hanmi Financial Corp. in Los Angeles remained in the black for the third consecutive quarter, posting an $8 million profit in the quarter that ended June 30, compared to a net loss of $29 million in last year's second quarter.

Improved asset quality and upticks in its commercial and mortgage lending helped Taylor Capital Group Inc. in Chicago narrow its loss in the second quarter.

Steel man Frank Williams Jr. aims to become a winner in the bank consolidation game by capitalizing on Great Atlantic Financial's losses.