Banking

Times are tough for community banks. Net interest margins are getting squeezed and loans are hard to find. Bankers must be mindful that their margins of error are also thin as they face temptation to take more risks. Here are some mistakes to avoid.

Banks have a long history of hiring personalities to fill board seats. The practice fell out of favor during the financial crisis but is slowly experiencing a revival. Some appointees bring financial expertise to the table, while others deliver a certain cache to the bank.

Visa began offering its V.me digital wallet this week with PNC, the first of more than a dozen bank partners it has lined up.

A dry-as-dirt technical dispute over unique codes used to identify market participants has roiled a global effort to standardize financial data.

A unit of EverBank Financial (EVER) has hired a former U.S. Bank sales manager as the Jacksonville, Fla., company continues to diversify its business.

The retail services business of Alliance Data Systems (ADS) has signed a long-term agreement to continue providing the private-label credit card program for home furnishings retailer Crate & Barrel.

Though nearly two-thirds of Americans say they hear a mix of good and bad economic news, 28% say they hear mostly bad news, down from 35% in September, according to a survey released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press.

With the prevalence of mobile devices hastening the day when cash isn't needed, ATM manufacturers like NCR, Diebold and uGenius hope to stay relevant by integrating with mobile channels.

Bank of the Ozarks (OZRK) in Little Rock announced earnings of the $19.3 million for the third quarter, up 2% from a year earlier, as low expenses more than offset rising credit costs.

Clashes with regulators and prosecutors added to JPMorgan Chase's chargeoffs and legal costs, casting a shadow over its strong mortgage and investment banking results in the third quarter.

The decision not to sell the loans and purchase more mortgage-backed securities reduced revenue in the third quarter, but should provide better returns in the long run.

More financial institutions are working to issue EMV chip cards while merchants are dropping bills to install the proper terminals before certain liability-shift deadlines arrive. But as this transition finally reaches consumers, some may adopt habits that negate the benefits the EMV standard provides.

Leon Panetta issues a dire warning as Capital One, SunTrust Banks and Regents Financial acknowledge they're the latest victims of cyberhacktivist attacks.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a prompt corrective action against Sunrise Bank in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

More than 700 community banks failed a stress test performed by the New York data company Trepp, based on the proposed Basel III guidelines. Even if they wanted to do something about this problem, many would have a hard time raising capital in the private markets now.

The mutual holding company for Northeast Community Bancorp (NECB) will ask its members to waive their right to receive dividends from the White Plains, N.Y., company.

Comerica Bank in Dallas has named a former Morgan Stanley (MS) executive as its chief information security officer.

No, it's not that ABA, but another one — the American Booksellers Association — has joined a growing list of retail groups seeking to derail the settlement with the card networks.

It is only natural that a business unit will not want to disturb an established, profitable relationship. But that is how risk enters a business, making the whole firm vulnerable to financial crimes or regulatory violations.

Jennifer Shasky Calvery took the reins at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network last month, after 15 years at the Justice Department prosecuting money laundering and organized crime.