Various loan types have been yielding fatter margins over banks’ cost of funds through much of the Fed’s campaign to stimulate the economy. Blame banks' tight overall margins on cash and securities.

Alamogordo Financial Corp. (ALMG) in New Mexico has agreed to buy Bank 1440 (BFFO) in Phoenix.

Signature Bank (SBNY) in New York City has hired a private-client team from Citigroup (NYSE: C) and added two more bankers to head its existing groups.

StoneCastle Financial is planning an initial public offering to raise up to $150 million for bank investments.

Bay Banks of Virginia in Kilmarnock plans to close a branch and begin offering mobile banking.

In an effort to simplify its mortgage process and improve compliance, BOK Financial (BOKF) in Tulsa, Okla., has chosen DocuTech's mortgage loan document software.

Avidbank Holdings (AVBH) in Palo Alto, Calif., has raised $16 million selling roughly 1.6 million shares of common stock in a private offering.

Technology CU announced this morning it has introduced a new way to help members avoid ATM surcharges with the debut of FeeAlert from Cardtronics.

Valley National Bancorp in Wayne, N.J., plans to redeem $15 million in trust-preferred securities.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a written agreement with Farmers Bank in Ault, Colo. The May 2010 pact obligated the $232 million-asset bank's directors to strengthen oversight of management.

Fulton Financial (FULT) in Lancaster, Pa., has lured a chief marketing officer from First Niagara Financial (FNFG).

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau gave banks and nonbanks four tips on how to minimize the risk that its investigations blow up into an enforcement action.

The $4.2 billion-asset, Conway, Ark., company will pay $280 million in cash and stock for the $2.9 billion-asset Liberty.

Senate Banking Committee members pressed regulators Tuesday about the extent of industry efforts to gain greater flexibility in modifying or delaying repayment of troubled student loans.

Opus Bank in Irvine, Calif., has hired Michael Allison as co-president and Bob Granfelt as chief operating officer.

Trade finance involving U.S. and Chinese companies is growing, and MetroCorp could be free to make more loans now that it is free of a regulatory order.

Premara Bank in Charlotte, N.C., has opened a branch in downtown Washington.

Banks can get beyond the negative perceptions that have dogged the industry the past few years, but they need to lay the proper groundwork first. American Banker Magazine Editor in Chief Heather Landy and Reputation Institute's Anthony Johndrow analyze the results of our fourth annual survey of bank reputations.

Banks face a looming financial risk from home equity loans, an international ratings agency is warning.

Filling this increasingly prevalent and critical position presents the perfect opportunity for a bank to bring a female executive into its C-suite.