Washington's budget deal contained mixed news for banks; HSBC sought to downsize it branches; and rivals pushed ahead with efforts to replace bricks and mortar with phones and cameras.

A number of community banks have disclosed plans to increase salaries and compensation for top executives.

BankFinancial in Burr Ridge, Ill., has followed through on plans to cleanse its balance sheet of troubled assets.

Georgia Commerce Bancshares raised $25.5 million to fund potential acquisitions around Atlanta.

Northfield Bancorp (NFBK) in Avenel, N.J., has moved one step closer to becoming a fully public company.

Overaggressive growth, reliance on commercial real estate lending and use of brokered deposits were strategies common to banks that failed in the crisis, a government report said Thursday.

CEO Trevor Burgess believes that targeting professionals will allow C1 to compete in a market dominated by larger banks.

Large numbers of yield-hungry banks have gorged on municipal bonds, and the industry’s overall holdings of the paper have edged up.

FNB United in Asheboro, N.C., will introduce a new brand for its CommunityOne Bank next month as part of its integration of Bank of Granite.

Fulton Financial in Lancaster, Pa., has approved a new share repurchase program.

Peoples Bancorp in Marietta, Ohio, has acquired an insurance agency office in Pikeville, Ky.

Flagstar Bancorp in Troy, Mich., is continuing to take steps to reduce risk.

Have you ever caught yourself paying a $3 ATM fee to avoid driving across town? Add up the value of your time, gasoline costs, the need to complete a necessary task and it's easy to justify that $3.

BankThink editors Marc Hochstein and Jeanine Skowronski recap 10 of the blog's posts they found most memorable in 2012.

Carlile Bancshares in Fort Worth, Texas, has completed its second acquisition in as many weeks.

Loan volume built on the turnaround that began in 2011. Business borrowing continued to lead the way, though momentum appeared to weaken as the year wore on. Meanwhile, other major loan categories notched gains for the first time in years, and mortgage production delivered large profits.

Chinatrust Bank has tapped a veteran banker to become its president and chief executive.

BB&T in Winston-Salem, N.C., could be looking to add to its holdings in the Sunshine State.

Prosperity Bancshares (PB), Kentucky First Federal (KFFB), Bank of the Ozarks (OZRK) and Talmer Bancorp all entered 2013 with added heft.

Executives from four community banks established during the last wave of de novo bank creation talk about their experiences in surviving the economic crisis and their plans for when the economy rebounds.