Retail & Commercial

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., is planning to issue a combined $200 million in preferred stock and debt.

Steve Apodaca, who recently joined the American Bankers Association, hopes to help farmers navigate falling commodity prices, compete against the Farm Credit System and find ways to lend on new farming technology.

Six regional banks have reported their stress-test results under Dodd-Frank for the first time, projecting Tier 1 common equity ratios ranging from 8.04% to 11.4% after an economic shock. However, several also projected multimillion-dollar losses during the stressful period.

First Reliance Bancshares in Florence, S.C., is again current on its dividends tied to the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Some argue that nonbank mortgage lenders' rising market share poses a risk to the financial system. But this belief arises from an inaccurate understanding of what is in fact a well-regulated sector.

The Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund has allocated more than $3.5 billion in tax credit awards for low-income urban and rural communities.

Mechanics Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., shook up its top leadership post following its sale to a Dallas investment group.

WASHINGTON — The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. unveiled a proposal Tuesday that would change the calculus used in determining assessment fees for small banks, resulting in most of those institutions paying less in premiums.

While marketplace lenders like LendingClub and Prosper are at the cutting edge of innovation for now, banks may gain ground eventually. Either way, the competition greatly benefits the expanding pool of borrowers who will have greater access to credit.

The decline in foreclosures and short sales is one of the best signs of how much progress the housing recovery has made. But it's also contributing to a dearth of housing inventory that's constricting the market.