Banks spend wastefully on information technology, leaving plenty of room for improvement, Oracle's Mark Hurd says.

In an improving economy, many of the policies and procedures that were imposed on banks in 2008 have become counterproductive, and are hurting rather than helping the industry.

BBCN Bancorp, the Los Angeles company formed after Center Financial and Nara Bancorp merged, said Wednesday that fourth-quarter earnings fell 42% from the same period a year earlier due primarily to expenses related to the merger.

Citigroup is partnering with the Enterprise Community Loan Fund and Next Street Financial to invest $30 million in small businesses.

More than eight months after Sterne Agee Group Inc. announced that it is planning to acquire a community bank, the name of the bank has finally been revealed: Citizens Exchange Bank.

Park National Corp. in Newark, Ohio, swung to a profit in the fourth quarter but still earned less than what analysts were expecting.

Northern States Financial Corp. in Waukegan, Ill., plans to delist its common stock from the Nasdaq by Feb. 17.

Commercial National Corp. in Latrobe, Pa., said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter net income climbed 44% from the same period in 2010, to $1.2 million, as lower funding costs and increased income from investments more than offset a decline in loan balances.

Bankers are up in arms over the fact that a Congressional oversight has raised doubts about whether documents submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will retain attorney-client privilege.

Old Second Bank remained well-capitalized at year-end, but the company's stubborn portfolio of nonperforming assets continues to present a challenge to capital levels.

The Federal Reserve Board has ordered bank holding companies in Iowa, Wisconsin and South Carolina to use whatever resources are available to them to nurse their ailing bank subsidiaries back to health.

Sterling Savings Bank in Spokane, Wash., is dropping the "Savings" from its name to reflect its transition from a traditional thrift to commercial-oriented bank.

Improved credit quality and lower expenses helped offset declines in fees at Eastern Virginia Bankshares as the Tappahannock company returned to the black in 2011.

A small Minnesota bank is in hot water with its regulators after suffering steep losses on loans to some high-profile business executives.

Suffolk Bancorp in Riverhead, N.Y., has filled its vacant chief financial officer position by hiring from a former competitor.

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Union First Market Bankshares Corp. in Richmond, Va., has agreed to repurchase more than 335,000 shares of its common stock that a director used to secure a loan.

Northway Financial Corp. in North Conway, N.H., said Monday that its fourth-quarter earnings fell 95% from the same period in 2010, to $67,000, after it set aside more money for potential losses and absorbed costs related to prepayment of its Federal Home Loan Bank advances.

DCB Financial Corp. in Lewis Center, Ohio, is planning to raise fresh capital by issuing more stock to existing and prospective shareholders.

F&M Bank, of Iowa, would get 2 branches in Galeburg, Ill., with $66 million of deposits.