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Rising regulatory costs are forcing banks of all shapes and sizes to take a hard look at consolidation, including the mostly dormant field of mutually owned banks.

Despite a recent uptick in national home prices, Clear Capital reported that home values are down 3.2% for the first six months of this year, and the real estate data firm is projecting another 2.4% decline through the second half of 2011.

With a 98% retention rate, USAA Federal Savings Bank seems to have little room to improve customer service. But it's spent the past two years and millions of dollars overhauling systems to do just that.

Centrix Bank in Bedford, N.H., intends to tap the government's billion Small Business Lending Fund to increase its commercial lending and repay what it borrowed from the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Northeast Community Bancorp Inc. in White Plains, N.Y., is expanding its loan production office in Danvers, Mass., as part of a major push to increase its lending in eastern Massachusetts.

Even as he favored a broader exemption from risk retention than currently proposed, Rep. Barney Frank said Monday regulators should not undermine skin-in-the-game rules by turning the exception into the rule.

The price of being a good neighbor can be steep for banks foreclosing on condominiums and homes in planned communities.

With a 98% retention rate, USAA Federal Savings Bank seems to have little room to improve customer service. But it's spent the past two years and millions of dollars overhauling systems to do just that.

With the expansion, the $3.7 billion-asset Union First Market Bank now has 99 branches in Virginia, including 29 in Martin's stores.

The first three failures of the quarter — two in Colorado, one in Illinois — late Friday cost the Deposit Insurance Fund an estimated $590 million and brought the year's toll to 51.

The first three failures of the quarter — two in Colorado, one in Chicago — late Friday cost the Deposit Insurance Fund an estimated $590 million and brought the year's toll to 51.

The credit union is enabling its 14,000 members to access a document automation solution called TotaleAtlasWeb through its home banking portal, which is provided by PM Systems Corp.

The Tampa-based parent of Florida Bank issued 5,107 shares of series C preferred stock, grossing $1,000 a share, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Tampa-based parent of Florida Bank issued 5,107 shares of series C preferred stock, grossing $1,000 a share, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

After months of complaints about overzealous examiners, frustrated bankers took it a step further by pressing a House panel to pass legislation forcing regulators to be more lenient.

For most of 2011, small banks have slowly reduced interest rates on deposits enough to stabilize or perhaps lift margins. It remains unclear whether banks will be able to sustain wider spreads.

For most of 2011, small banks have slowly reduced interest rates on deposits enough to stabilize or perhaps lift margins. It remains unclear whether banks will be able to sustain wider spreads.

Castle Creek Capital, a California private-equity firm, has invested $27 million in fast-growing NBC Holding Co. in New Orleans.

The Federal Reserve Board has given the troubled Commonwealth Bankshares Inc. in Norfolk, Va., until the end of July to either raise fresh capital or find a buyer.