With loan losses mounting in Florida and Alabama, Whitney Holding Corp. in New Orleans said Tuesday that its second-quarter earnings plunged 57% from a year earlier, to $12.9 million.

Banking trade groups say a federal court ruling against a sprawling community charter for a Pennsylvania credit union is an "important" victory for the industry.

Shares of Sterling Bancshares Inc. in Houston fell 13.4% in heavy trading Tuesday, to $8.12, after the company posted second-quarter earnings that fell short of analysts' expectations.

Shares of Washington Trust Bancorp Inc. in Westerly, R.I., fell Tuesday, even though strong loan growth helped the company's second-quarter earnings climb 12.5% from a year earlier, to $6.1 million.

Tennessee Commerce Bancorp Inc. in Franklin is being sued by its former chief financial officer, who claims he was fired for alerting regulators to possible misconduct by company executives.

Sun Bancorp Inc. in Vineland, N.J., said Monday that its second-quarter earnings fell 53% from a year earlier, to $2.3 million, primarily because its loan-loss provision rose nearly sixfold, to $6.5 million.

Still struggling to work through its bad residential construction loans, West Coast Bancorp in Lake Oswego, Ore., said Monday that its second-quarter earnings fell 67% from a year earlier, to $2.7 million.

S&T Bancorp Inc. in Indiana, Pa., said Monday that second-quarter earnings were flat, at $13.9 million, despite a 16% increase in net interest income.

Sun Bancorp Inc. in Vineland, N.J., said Monday that its second-quarter earnings fell 53% from a year earlier, to $2.3 million, primarily because its loan-loss provision rose nearly sixfold, to $6.5 million.

Merger and acquisition activity is at a trickle for most of the banking industry, but Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., is just revving up.

Shares of Peoples Bancorp of North Carolina Inc. in Newton soared Monday after the company reported second-quarter earnings that beat analyst expectations.

Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc. of Nashville said Friday that it plans to raise $36.5 million in capital to support its growth.

After two quarters of surprising analysts with huge losses, Amcore Financial Inc. of Rockford, Ill., said its loan problems show signs of stabilizing, but it would not say how soon it might become profitable again.

Community Valley Bancorp in Chico, Calif., said Friday that second-quarter net income fell 36.4%, to $1 million, partly because of a higher loan-loss provision.

Green Bankshares Inc. of Greenville, Tenn., said Friday that its second-quarter earnings fell 79% from a year earlier, to $1.5 million, as a result of a sharp increase in nonperforming residential construction and land development loans.

The Small Business Administration is restructuring its popular Community Express program to broaden borrower eligibility and funnel more lending to low-income areas.

Umpqua Holdings Corp. said Thursday that its second-quarter earnings fell 49% from a year earlier, to $10.2 million, or 17 cents a share.

Capitol Bancorp Ltd. in Lansing, Mich., said Thursday that its second-quarter earnings fell 91% from a year earlier, to $623,000, because of deteriorating credit quality and higher expenses related to its continued expansion.

Capital is king these days, and community banks that either cannot or do not want to raise it are focused on preserving what they have.

First Financial Bankshares Inc. in Abilene, Tex., announced Thursday that its second-quarter earnings grew 2.5%, to $13.6 million, from the year earlier.