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.

After years of idling, Florida Shores Bancorp Inc. is shifting into high gear with a new strategy that reflects changes in the regulatory and economic environment since the company's founding.

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In what it is calling a first step toward replenishing its capital, Mercantile Bancorp Inc. in Quincy, Ill., said it intends to merge its flailing Florida bank with a stronger unit.

Instead of taking a wait-and-see approach, financial institutions should be in the business of connecting with their customers with responsible and transparent communications targeted at a variety of stakeholders, including employees, depositors and other customers.

As other banking companies ready third-quarter results, at least two are being forced by regulators to restate their second-quarter figures, with serious consequences.

Hancock Holding in Gulfport, Miss., has begun a $150 million common stock offering, just after reporting that its third-quarter earnings slipped 4.9% from the year earlier, but rose 10.7% from the second quarter, to $15.2 million.

In reporting third-quarter earnings of $6.9 million, Hudson Valley Holding in Yonkers, N.Y., said a $90 million common stock offering it has in the works was prompted partly by regulators.

If at first you don't succeed, go hostile? That's Porter Bancorp Inc.'s strategy as the $1.7 billion-asset company pursues the $339 million-asset Citizens First Corp. in Bowling Green, Ky.

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