Touchstone Investments, a wholesale fund firm, says it plans to aggressively expand assets under its management by acquiring portfolios from small fund companies and small banks.

Yardville National Bancorp of Hamilton, N.J., is spending $32,000 for some advice - and some time.

Farm lenders have concerns with three provisions in the Bush administration's recently proposed agriculture budget that are meant to save the government $587 million in fiscal 2006 and $5.7 billion over the next 10 years.

Unizan Financial Corp. of Akron reported a "material weakness" in its internal controls over financial reporting.

Community bankers still expect to add employees to their payrolls in 2005. However, the number of bankers who anticipate more hirings has declined from the number who said so last year.

A Tennessee Bank Emphasizes Culture

A Los Angeles bank targeting Chinese-Americans had a successful public offering this week, providing fresh evidence of investors’ bullishness on this community banking sector.

Farmers National Banc Corp.'s fourth-quarter earnings dropped 94% from a year earlier, to $134,000.

Pennsylvania Commerce Bancorp Inc. daringly predicts it will continue to double its asset size every three to five years for the foreseeable future.

MIDWEST

Community Central Bank Corp. of Mount Clemens, Mich., is buying River Place Financial Corp., a small, nondepository trust company.

Capital City Bank Group Inc. in Florida is eager to buy banks, but it's picky.

Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida said its fourth-quarter earnings fell 44% from the same period in 2003, to $3.7 million. Full-year earnings rose 6.7%, to $14.9 million.

The Bank Holdings, a four-year-old community banking company in Reno, reported its first-ever annual profit Tuesday - $281,000.

In half a century of speaking, teaching, and consulting I have given a lot of advice and made many predictions. Sometimes I was on the money, but much of what I said still embarrasses me when I think of it.

Utah bankers are supporting a proposal to eliminate state corporate income taxes - but on the condition that it would result in more jobs.

Even at a bargain-basement price, Abigail Adams National Bancorp's stock deal for Consolidated Bank and Trust Co. in Richmond, Va., could be viewed as a gamble.

Mackinac Financial Corp. of Manistique, Mich., said Monday that state and federal regulators had terminated the provisions of the cease-and-desist order issued to its North Country Bank and Trust.

Community Bancshares Inc. of Orangeburg, S.C., said Friday that four large loans booked by one loan officer and classified as nonperforming during the fourth quarter helped spoil its results for the quarter and the year.

Home equity loans and lines of credit continue to grow in popularity, and banks have gradually gained an edge in consumer lending by pushing those products.