Retail & Commercial

BNC Bancorp's deals to spend $48 million on two lenders with sizable levels of nonperforming assets show that strugglers can command stronger prices in markets where aggressive banks are under pressure to buy.

Low interest rates drove lending income and margins downward at community banks early in the year, but they benefited from the midyear spike in long-term rates more than they let on.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's annual report on college credit card agreements showed a decline of 23 percent in college agreements from 2011 to 2012.

The spread of Bitcoins is now prompting regulators in Scandinavia to draft new rules in an effort to prevent virtual money from slipping into a legal gray zone.

First Financial Bancorp (FFBC) in Cincinnati has agreed buy First Bexley Bank, in a deal that would bring First Financial into the Columbus market.

Timberland Bancorp (TSBK) in Hoquiam, Wash., will buy back its remaining Troubled Asset Relief Program shares for about $12.1 million.

Bank of Marin Bancorp (BMRC) in Novato, Calif., has named a new chairman.

BNC Bancorp (BNCN) in High Point, N.C., announced two deals Wednesday that would significantly boost its presence in its home state.

What we have seen from the bank regulatory agencies is an unsustainable proliferation of rules. Big banks are taking on water to keep up, while community banks are being swamped.

The Winston-Salem, N.C., company said Wednesday that it agreed to buy 21 Citibank branches in Texas, along with $1.2 billion in deposits and $134 in loans.