Banking trade groups have thrown their full support behind the Central American Free Trade Agreement, saying it would help banks by opening up new markets for U.S. farmers and manufacturers and creating tens of thousands of jobs.

First Commonwealth Financial Corp. of Indiana, Pa., said the president and chief executive officer of its First Commonwealth Bank had submitted his resignation.

Like small U.S. banks, Japanese community banks face intense competition from large banks that often use their size to their advantage.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has given Wachovia Corp. an "outstanding" Community Reinvestment Act rating.

With Zions Bancorp. having won an apparent bidding war for Houston's Amegy Bancorp, analysts say the merger-and-acquisition spotlight will shift to Texas' remaining independent banks, especially Sterling Bancshares Inc.

MIDDLE ATLANTIC

Farmers Capital Bank Corp. of Frankfort, Ky., is buying Citizens Bancorp of Newport for $38 million in cash and stock.

Cherokee Banking Co. in Canton, Ga., announced Tuesday that it is going private to reduce its legal, accounting, and regulatory costs.

Now that PrivateBancorp Inc. has established itself in some of the Midwest's more affluent markets, it is ready to start following its customers to Florida and Arizona, where many of them spend their winters.

A Connecticut man's admission last week that he bought shares of NewAlliance Bancshares Inc. illegally when it went public last year illustrates the lengths to which some will go to get in on thrift conversions.

After months of delay, Nara Bancorp Inc. of Los Angeles has finally reported earnings for the first quarter and all of 2004.

By acquiring United National Bank, East West Bancorp of San Marino, Calif., would overtake longtime rival Cathay General Bancorp as the nation's largest Asian-American banking company.

The $1.5 billion-asset ABC Bancorp of Moultrie, Ga., is buying the $255 million First National Banc Inc. of St. Marys, Ga., for $34.8 million.

Many banks sell themselves because they lack the capital to grow, but 1st State Bancorp Inc. in Burlington, N.C., is selling because it has too much.

North Shore Bank of Brookfield, Wis., announced Thursday it had agreed to buy Illinois State Bank of Lake in the Hills.

MAF Bancorp Inc.’s deal to buy the third-largest bank in Kane County, Ill., would instantly give it a much higher profile in Chicago’s fast-growing northwest suburbs.

MIDWEST

No state has fewer community banks than Hawaii, and one group of bank organizers says the time has come to help fill that void.

Though the capital raised by the average start-up set a record last year, a would-be Internet bank targeting prosperous African-Americans is struggling to find investors.