Banking

F.N.B. Corp. in Pittsburgh has agreed to buy Metro Bancorp in Harrisburg, Pa.

A U.S. judge rejected American Express Co.'s settlement with merchants over credit card fees after finding the plaintiffs' lawyer tainted the deal by exchanging confidential information with an attorney for MasterCard Inc.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has filed a lawsuit in federal court against a web of payday lending companies, alleging that they collected money that consumers did not owe and falsely threatened consumers with lawsuits and imprisonment.

Foundation Bank in Bellevue, Wash., has taken a $2.9 million charge tied to a fraudulent loan and plans to report a quarterly loss later this week.

Among big-bank accelerator programs, the British bank's effort is unique for its scope, size and depth.

SunTrust Banks in Atlanta has streamlined its checking-account product offerings, in a bid to make it easier for customers to choose a product and open an account.

A payday lender that allegedly collected money illegally faces a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Heavier second-quarter marketing expenses at OnDeck Capital highlight a concern throughout the marketplace lending industry: the high cost of customer acquisition as competition from banks and nonbank startups heats up.

Four Oaks Bank & Trust in Four Oaks, N.C., said its May 2011 enforcement action has been replaced with a more lenient agreement that requires it to address governance issues and other matters.

Anchorage Capital Group and Carlyle Group have priced their final offering of common stock in Central Pacific Financial in Honolulu.

Court rulings in the past year are sending conflicting messages about whether a debtor's account number visible on a debt collection envelope violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

A three-year investigation by the Idaho Attorney General’s office into allegations that executives with a hospital misused charitable assets has ended after the two sides reached an agreement.

MutualFirst Financial in Muncie, Ind., which is under pressure from an activist investor to sell itself, has agreed to buy the trust business of First Bank of Berne in Indiana.

It's been nearly a century since reformers and lenders agreed on 36% as a small-dollar loan ceiling. Inflation has since swelled production costs, and lending under this cap is no longer profitable. The result: fewer options for consumers.

Lakeland Bancorp in Oak Ridge, N.J., has agreed to buy Pascack Bancorp in Waldwick, N.J.

Protecting payment card data is a never-ending struggle, and the fraudsters are only getting more creative. So far this year several incidents and studies have demonstrated the evolving nature of cybercrime.

ASB Bancorp in Asheville, N.C., has received its second challenge in less than a month from an activist investor. The latest seeks a sale of the company.

WASHINGTON — In the wake of Benjamin Lawsky's departure as head of the New York Department of Financial Services two months ago, there were some in the banking industry that predicted the agency might back away from being the outspoken, aggressive one it had become during his tenure.

Many online small-business lenders worry that future regulations could stymie innovation in this fast-growing industry. But well-designed requirements would simply ensure that online lenders can offer adequate borrower protections without giving up market share.

First Foundation in Irvine, Calif., has begun an initial public offering to raise up to $100 million.