Joseph Ficalora, the CEO of New York Community Bancorp, blames the tumble in its shares this week on traders betting against the company ahead of its third-quarter earnings report.

C.G. Kum, the CEO of First California Financial Group, gave inconclusive answers to analysts' questions about whether the $2 billion-asset company can resist shareholder calls to seek buyer.

Experts believe more Tarp participants will fail as the economy plods along, and that investors should keep this in mind when bidding on auctions of the Treasury's Tarp holdings.

About $1.4 trillion of deposits are covered by federal insurance due to lapse in two months. How corporations have handled their cash over the last few years provides a guide to what might happen to the money.

An employee of Mercantile Bank in Grand Rapids, Mich., showed a crowd of eager pupils how to get in touch with their inner-zombies at an event teaching the steps from Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video.

Yadkin Valley Financial has raised $45 million through a private placement and said it will use the funds to "complete strategic classified asset disposition sales."

The New York firm led by Joseph Stilwell disclosed stakes in four new thrifts and cashed out of 10 other institutions during the third quarter. Its investments often signal plans to pressure companies to improve shareholder value.

A pickup in lending lifted First California Financial Group (FCAL) in Westlake Village in the third quarter.

Third-quarter income at Susquehanna Bancshares (SUSQ) more than doubled as loan growth soared, partly from two recent acquisitions.

Texas Capital Bancshares (TCBI) relied on loan growth and fee income to offset pressure on its net interest margin during the third quarter.

A legal settlement and an investment loss weighed on United Bankshares (UBSI) in Charleston, W.Va., in the third quarter.

Well-intentioned policies are causing inadvertent redlining. Our proposed Dignity Mortgage would show there are few if any additional risks of lending to the large cohort of presently excluded prospective homebuyers.

General Electric held takeover talks with New Jersey's Hudson City Bancorp shortly before the lender agreed to a $3.7 billion sale to M&T Bank in August, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

Lower credit costs and higher mortgage banking revenue pushed MainSource Financial Group's (MSFG) third-quarter net income up 34.5% from a year earlier to $6.5 million.

The Walla Walla, Wash., company Banner (BANR) said profit rose on improved income from mortgage banking, deposit fees and other service charges.

A state law that eased restrictions on credit card rates in Ohio influenced the move, the Columbus company said.

Leaders of the largest banks are using third-quarter calls to discuss a reluctance to pursue bank acquisitions. The underlying message? Smaller banks are likely to spur the next big wave of consolidation.

PL Capital recently put Malvern Bancorp and Orrstown Financial on notice that it is watching management's moves, while First Financial Northwest continues to absorb litigation costs months after an investor contested the results of an annual meeting.

San Antonio's Cullen/Frost has benefited from a robust economy in Texas. Still, CEO Dick Evans said that his lenders had to increase their calling efforts after loan requests dropped off.

Earnings at Flagstar Bancorp in Troy, Mich., fell 7% from a quarter earlier as credit and litigation costs offset a large gain from loan sales.