First Republic Bank in San Francisco has agreed to buy Luminous Capital Holdings. Luminous, an independent wealth advisor based in Los Angeles, provides investment advice and asset allocation, including alternative investments, to high-net-worth individuals, family offices and foundations.

Fewer loan losses and added fees provided a spark to third-quarter results at Park Sterling (PSTB) in Charlotte, N.C.

After a customer held up Peoples Bank, the president followed the man to his car, drew his firearm and detained the robber until the police arrived. "I told him he wasn't going anywhere," says David Thompson, who has a concealed weapons permit.

The banking unit of 1st Colonial Bancorp (FCOB) in Collingswood, N.J., has converted to a state charter and changed its name.

CertusBank in Greenville, S.C., plans acquire the small business lending operations of a struggling Georgia bank.

NewBridge Bancorp (NBBC) in Greensboro, N.C., is planning to raise $56 million after liquidating $45 million in bad loans and reporting a large quarterly loss.

BB&T's decision to open 30 branches makes sense as big banks battle for commercial customers, especially in an expensive market for acquisitions like Texas.

Oriental Financial Group in San Juan, Puerto Rico, has priced its public offering of preferred shares that will help fund its purchase of Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria's Puerto Rican operations.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Housing Finance Agency said Thursday they are teaming up to create a first-of-its-kind mega-database of mortgages to track market trends and support policymaking research.

According to a survey on bank compensation released Thursday, commercial loan officers’ total annual pay is up 17.3% this year over last, while salaries of other bank employees have climbed just 2.5%.

Subordinated debt could be an option for community banks that need to raise capital but want to avoid dilute existing shareholders. Still, naysayers point out that many community banks prefer the simplicity and liquidity that comes from equity.

Wells Fargo has hired Terese Rowe, an expert in credit risks tied to fruit, fish and other agribusinesses, to head one of its ag-related units in anticipation of increased world demand for food.

Camco Financial (CAFI) in Cambridge, Ohio, has extended its rights offering deadline by one day because of the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

BB&T is planning to more than double its branch network in Texas by opening 30 new offices in the state’s four largest metropolitan markets.

The Riverhead, N.Y., company had vowed to get a handle on nonperforming loans after raising $25 million in September. CEO Howard Bluver has said that Suffolk will focus on growth in coming months.

The National Credit Union Administration has liquidated Women's Southwest Federal Credit Union in Dallas.

National 1st Credit Union has agreed to acquire San Jose Credit Union.

Few legislators will have much appetite for setting bank capital policy, but it would be a gross error to mistake that discretion for lack of interest in what those policies will do to local economies.

TowneBank (TOWN) has hired J.G. Carter, a former SunTrust Banks (STI) executive, to help the Suffolk, Va., company expand its mortgage operations.

Even before the recent increases, prices Fannie and Freddie charge for credit risk were far higher than when their share of originations was at a low.