Retail & Commercial

Columbia Banking System in Tacoma, Wash., and First Business Financial Services in Madison, Wis., were among a sizable group of banking companies that completed acquisitions in recent days.

Bank of America and U.S. Bank are nearing a settlement agreement with a Chicago pension fund over charges that the banks failed to protect investors from losses during the financial crisis.

Fifth Third Bancorp has lowered fees and eased terms on short-term, small-dollar loans as it awaits clearer guidance from regulators on the product's future.

The bank's first chief data officer, A. Charles Thomas, is training his analytical eye on cross-selling opportunities, delivering instantaneous client data to employees and hiring techniques.

Bank of America's website was down for about an hour early Monday afternoon.

A group of investors has raised its stake in Doral Financial on a belief that the San Juan, Puerto Rico, company will prevail in its effort to claim a $230 million tax refund from the territory's government.

Hampton Roads Bankshares in Virginia Beach has named John Marshall Jr. as chief risk officer. He succeeds Robert Bloxom, who retired from Hampton Roads at the end of September.

AnchorBank in Madison, Wis., has agreed to sell its Richland Center retail branch to The Peoples Community Bank.

The New York Department of Financial Services will likely institute an on-ramp for new Bitcoin businesses — and possibly any other kind of money transmitting startups — as a way for them to launch without being burdened by costly licensing requirements.

Puerto Rico's economy has been in disarray for eight years, and it's taken many banks down with it. OFG weathered the financial crisis and is considering how to capitalize on its status as the island's healthiest bank.