Retail & Commercial

Modest loan growth, lower expenses and a sharp decrease in problem loans powered United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., to a $16.4 million profit in the second quarter.

Columbia Banking System in Tacoma, Wash., has agreed to buy Intermountain Community Bancorp in Sandpoint, Idaho. The $7.2 billion-asset Columbia will pay $121.5 million, or $18.22 a share, in cash and stock for the $911 million-asset Intermountain.

ACA International has announced the board of directors and officers for 2014-15.

Collection agency Bounceback Inc., based in Kansas City, Mo., is accused in a federal lawsuit of "renting" county prosecutor seals to threaten people with jail time if they did not pay their debts.

CIT Group's $3.4 billion deal for OneWest Bank — the year's largest bank deal — ended long-running M&A speculation surrounding both players. Here's a look at the winners and losers in the deal.

WesBanco in Wheeling, W. Va., reported higher quarterly net income because of loan growth and a lower cost of funds.

Financial Institutions in Warsaw, N.Y., the parent company of Five Star Bank, reported higher earnings along with strong loan and deposit growth.

Banc of California’s proposed acquisition of 20 Banco Popular branches offers an opportunity for regulators to ensure that underserved customers and communities are not left behind in bank deals, writes Paulina Gonzalez of the California Reinvestment Coalition.

The U.S. Treasury, which finances more than 90 percent of new student loans, is exploring ways to make repayment more affordable as defaults by almost 7 million Americans and other strapped borrowers restrain economic growth.

The state of California will no longer be able to deposit child support payments onto prepaid accounts that lack certain consumer protections, under a law signed Wednesday by Gov. Jerry Brown.