Banking

Renasant Corp. in Tupelo, Miss., has agreed to buy Heritage Financial Group in Albany, Ga., for roughly $258 million.

Whether the startup's pricey valuation makes sense depends on whether you view it primarily as a tech firm or a financial company. And the answer to that question has big implications for the broader financial services world.

Senate lawmakers pressed government officials about whether they’re doing enough to protect the financial system from cyberattacks on Wednesday, warning that more must be done next year to help banks defend themselves.

The spending package unveiled Tuesday would end Department of Veterans Affairs guarantees on larger loans starting Jan. 1.

Thirteen U.S. senators, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., sent a letter to the Department of Education this week calling for it to use its authority to discharge federal student loans for students who attend colleges that break the law.

New York banks will be subject to extra scrutiny of their chief information security officers, multi-factor authentication practices and many other aspects of data security under the exam process laid out by regulator Benjamin Lawsky.

The Rural Housing Service, an agency within the Department of Agriculture, is working to speed up loan processing and make other changes to boost lending in rural communities.

Monterey Credit Union could be the first credit union to convert since mid-2013. Management hopes the move will allow it to make more small-business loans, while providing greater access to capital.

Porter Bancorp in Louisville, Ky., is rearranging some of its capital with an eye toward improving common equity and perhaps making its pursuit of additional funds easier.

Banks need to showcase a reputable culture — and competitive compensation packages — to seal the deal with top talent.

New York banking regulator Benjamin Lawsky provided details Wednesday about his plan to require the state's financial institutions to strengthen their cyberdefense systems.

A report from the Department of Health and Human Services outlines the affordable options for consumers who use the Health Insurance Marketplace, including detailing savings on premiums for returning consumers who renew or change their insurance plans.

TD Bank has settled with the state of Massachusetts after a data breach exposed the personal information of as many as 260,000 customers.

ViewPoint Financial is on the verge of finalizing its $300 million acquisition of LegacyTexas Group, a deal that was delayed two times.

The national mortgage delinquency rate will be 2.51% in 2015, the lowest mark since the start of the recession in the third quarter of 2007, according to a TransUnion forecast.

Anchor Bancorp in St. Paul, Minn., has agreed to buy VFSC in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Colorado's interest rate cap on payday lending has successfully brought down costs for borrowers, but the state continues to experience unacceptably high default rates.

The Small Business Administration has introduced a new online credit scoring tool that can be used for most of its small business loans of $350,000 or less.

Earlier opposition to the idea appears to have eased in the wake of a new proposal that would use interbank fees to cover the cost of technological upgrades.

LendingClub's initial public offering will be the watershed event for alternative lending that Facebook's IPO was for social media, says Matt Burton, co-founder and CEO of online lending services firm Orchard Platform.