The leadership of the House Financial Services Committee has asked the Farm Credit Administration to withdraw a proposal that would give Farm Credit System lenders more authority to finance nonfarm projects, such as hotels and hospitals.

First Midwest Bancorp Inc. of Itasca, Ill., said its second-quarter earnings dropped 8% from a year earlier, to $27 million.

SOUTHEAST

Valley National Bancorp's stock shot up Wednesday after the Wayne, N.J., company reported that second-quarter net income increased 4.5% from a year earlier, to $41.5 million.

Arrow Financial Corp. in Glen Falls, N.Y., said Tuesday that a higher net interest margin boosted its second-quarter net income 29% from a year earlier, to $5.4 million.

Since hiring Derrick D. Cephas as president and chief executive officer in January 2006, Amalgamated Bank in New York has been undergoing a transformation.

Shares of Guaranty Financial Group Inc. plunged 12% Tuesday, to $3.59, after the Austin company said it was extending the deadline for its rights offering.

Westamerica Bancorp in San Rafael, Calif., said Tuesday that its second-quarter earnings fell 45% from a year earlier, to $12.2 million, mainly as a result of a $18.2 million impairment charge related to its preferred shares of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.

Commerce Bancshares Inc. of Kansas City, Mo., said its second-quarter earnings climbed 1.4% from a year earlier, to $56 million.

BankAtlantic Bancorp Inc.'s shares plunged to below $1 Monday on fears that the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., company does not have enough capital to absorb loan losses.

As the nation's Hispanic population continues to swell, more community banks are hiring bilingual employees and offering services such as online and telephone banking in English and Spanish.

If there was a bright spot in Whitney Holding Corp.'s announcement last week that its chargeoffs and loan-loss provision rose substantially in the second quarter, it is that nonperforming loans are not piling up as quickly as they had in previous quarters.

The housing market downturn has caught up with Columbia Banking System Inc.

First Chicago Bancorp hopes its deal to merge with a subprime automobile lender will supercharge its plan to triple assets within five years.

Chevy Chase Bank is giving up on supermarket branches.

While discussing customer service with banking groups, I often like to ask whether their services are "complimentary" enough.

Shares of Indiana Community Bancorp fell sharply Thursday after the Columbus company warned that its second-quarter earnings would be reduced by about $1.2 million, or 37 cents per share, because of a higher loan-loss provision and an impairment charge.

Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. in Olney, Md., has said it will report a higher-than-expected loan-loss provision for the second quarter when it reports earnings this month.

NEW ENGLAND