For the first time in nine years, Congress is poised to pass a bill reauthorizing the SBA, but different approaches by the House and Senate could still undercut the effort.

I support the Treasury Department's announcement of core principles for regulatory capital standards. Higher capital standards will enhance the stability of the financial system.

Metro Bancorp in Harrisburg, Pa., swung to a $490,000 loss in the third quarter, but said it plans to use the $77.9M of capital it just raised to complete its pending acquisition of Republic First Bancorp in Philadelphia and continue growing aggressively.

West Coast Bancorp of Lake Oswego, Ore., one of many struggling institutions in the Pacific Northwest, said Monday it managed to raise all the capital it needed to satisfy regulators — and then some.

Regulators at the American Bankers Association's annual meeting in Chicago discussed how best to replenish the Deposit Insurance Fund.

Suprisingly sharp deterioration of its commercial real estate loans forced PrivateBancorp Inc. in Chicago to a $31.2 million loss in the third quarter and sent its stock tumbling Monday.

Porter Bancorp Inc. of Louisville, Ky., moved ahead Friday with plans to buy Citizens First Corp. directly from shareholders, after getting snubbed by the board.

Failures in 2009 shot past the 100-mark late Friday as regulators swooped into seven community banks in the Midwest and southeast.

Failures in 2009 shot past the 100-mark late Friday as regulators swooped into seven community banks in the Midwest and southeast.

Though United Community Banks in Blairsville, Ga., continued to suffer worse-than-expected loan losses in the third quarter, it offered an optimistic outlook on a conference call Friday.

Citizens Republic Bancorp in Michigan is finding that capital counts for a lot. The company lost $853.4 million in the past year and a half, including $56.9 million in the third quarter.

Citizens Republic Bancorp in Flint, Mich., is finding that capital counts for a lot. The company lost $853.4 million in the past year and a half, including $56.9 million in the third quarter.

Webster Financial Corp. in Waterbury, Conn., said Thursday that its loss in the third quarter deepened by 20% from the year earlier, to $26.1 million, as credit quality continued to sour.

NBH Holdings in Boston said it aims to amass $12B in assets. It could apply for a shelf charter, which would let it bid on failed banks that have been taken over by regulators, or it could buy healthy institutions.

TCF Financial Corp. was among the first to free customers of account maintenance fees, back in the 1980s, but now it is leading the charge to bring them back.

President Obama's moves to spur more small-business lending are largely a grab bag of old ideas and minor tweaks that are unlikely to have much impact, observers said.

MIDWEST

The stock of South Financial Group Inc. fell sharply Wednesday, after the Greenville, S.C., company reported a $340.8 million third-quarter loss because of loan trouble.

President Obama will announce a series of initiatives today aimed at boosting credit to small businesses, an administration official said, as the White House tries to address a complicated issue many believe is a drag on the economy.