The third-quarter performance of small and midsize banks in California — long a bellwether for the nation's community institutions — has given rise to some optimism.

Stephen P. Wilson was elected chairman of the American Bankers Association during its annual convention Tuesday in Boston.

IMGCAP(1)]

San Diego Trust Bank Monday announced its 24th consecutive quarterly profit, reporting third-quarter earnings of $218,000, up 30% from a year earlier.

Farmers and Merchants Bank of Long Beach in California announced Monday that third-quarter earnings rose more than 10% from a year earlier.

Patriot National Bancorp Inc. of Stamford, Conn., announced late Friday that it had received a $50 million capital infusion from PNBK Holdings LLC to recapitalize its bank.

Bank of Lincoln County in tiny Elsberry, Mo., had just $35.7 million of assets when Nancy and Bill Laurie bought it in 2007. On Friday the bank, re-named Providence Bank, pulled off its biggest feat yet in picking up a failed bank more than five times its size, following a $75 million capital injection from the Lauries.

After receiving reports from the country's largest mortgage servicers on their foreclosure procedures, regulators are teaming up to double-check the findings.

The Office of Thrift Supervision has put a halt to Meta Financial Group Inc.'s tax-refund-anticipation loans.

Webster Financial Corp. in Waterbury, Conn., Friday announced that it posted earnings of $22.7 million in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $19.25 million a year earlier.

Neighboring community banks recently have been making deals with local competitors before out-of-market buyers get interested.

Neighboring community banks recently have been making deals with local competitors before out-of-market buyers get interested. Though the pace of open-bank deals among community banks has picked up generally, analysts have noticed a shift back to unions between in-market or neighboring bank companies.

Commerce Bancshares Inc. in Kansas City, Mo., said Thursday that its third-quarter net income rose 8.3% from a year earlier, to $55.9 million, showing signs of improving credit quality.

Sierra Bancorp in Porterville, Calif., said Thursday that it would raise $22 million in capital through several institutional investors.

A handful of law firms said they were investigating the board of First Franklin Corp. of Cincinnati for potentially breaching fiduciary duties related to the bank's proposed sale, announced Wednesday, to Cheviot Financial Corp. of Cincinnati.

Like many community banks, First Bancshares in Mississippi quite reluctantly took Tarp funds, accepting only half what it qualified for. Yet the $500 million-asset company is now going back for seconds.

A double dip in real estate could create a $13 billion capital hole according to an IMF stress test.

In a move unthinkable just two years ago, the NCUA began a fire sale this week of corporate credit union assets.

Cheviot Financial Corp. in Cincinnati said Wednesday that it has agreed to buy First Franklin Corp., also of Cincinnati, for about $24.4 million.