Sterling Bank in Spokane, Wash. will allow customers to transfer money to and from accounts at other financial institutions for free.

Sussex Bancorp (SSBX) in Franklin, N.J., has completed a $7.2 million capital raise.

Carlile Bancshares plans to merge and rename its two Colorado banking units.

A former chairman of the failed Premier Bank in Wilmette, Ill., has been charged with fraud in what prosecutors say is the first criminal case tied to the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Are banks destined to become trusted repositories for personal information as some pundits predict or is the notion utter nonsense? That was one hot topic of conversation during a recent Twitter Chat hosted by American Banker on the future of banking. The publication's BankThink editors discuss.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated an enforcement action against Belt Valley Bank in Belt, Mont.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s online training for community bankers now includes an eight-video module on how institutions can manage their exposure to fluctuating rates.

The bank wants to make acquisitions in central Florida, but CEO Michael Micallef keeps hitting snags with loan books, cultural fit and deal structure.

Allegiance Bancshares has agreed to buy the $220 million-asset Independence Bank. Both are in Houston.

Republic First Bancorp (FRBK) will allow customers to access funds at Allpoint Network ATMs without paying service fees.

BankFinancial (BFIN) in Burr Ridge, Ill., reported a decrease in quarterly profit because of lower net interest income.

Quarterly earnings at Meta Financial Group (CASH) in Sioux Falls, S.D., came in above analysts' estimates due to growth in revenue from loans and the company's payments system.

Baylake (BYLK) in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., has agreed to sell $26 million in deposits from two branches to 1st National Bank of Berlin in Wisconsin.

With the market starting to value banks on their earnings rather than their book values, buyers are looking for deals that will prop up their bottom lines over the long term and are willing to pay more.

The Federal Reserve Board's Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey said credit conditions are improving for commercial and industrial loans but standards remain tight on mortgages and consumer debt.

Blue Hills Bank in Boston is buying a New England franchise from Sovereign Bank.

Noninterest expenses remain persistently high at community banks as a need to pursue revenue undermines efforts to aggressively make cuts.