Old Second Bancorp in Aurora, Ill., raised $45 million from a debt sale.

Pacific Metro Bank would cater to Chinese-Americans around Atlanta. The application process is worth watching since the group is seeking the first Georgia charter in seven years and would be based in a market where more than 90 banks have failed since 2007.

Borrowers served by the FHA program, particularly first-time buyers and minorities, have benefited from nonbanks' increase in lending. Those independent lenders should be commended for filling a gap.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

The $14.3 billion-asset company said in a press release Thursday that it will sell about 4.3 million shares of common stock.

Bankers got what they asked for when the Federal Open Market Committee raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points this week, but some banks could face near-term pain as securities portfolios lose value and certain hedging strategies backfire. Moreover, the rate hike won't have a meaningful impact on net interest margins until loan demand picks up.

It is time for financial services to rethink retirement savings given changing work habits, customers' expectations of technology and the need for better transparency in 401(k)s.

Colony Bankcorp in Fitzgerald, Ga., has bought back more of its former Troubled Asset Relief Program shares held by private investors.

Ed Francis, a former executive at Hancock Holding, is seeking to buy an existing bank rather than pursue a new charter. He explains why he is prefers a complex bankruptcy process over applying to form a new bank.

First Internet Bancorp in Fishers, Ind., disclosed in a regulatory filing that it is looking to raise $25 million capital through a stock offering.

It is not a clear-cut statement to say Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac need more capital, and it detracts from the real debate over long-term housing finance reform.

A prominent activist investor has pared back its stake in three banks.

The National Credit Union Administration rule expanding member business lending introduces new risks and lacks legal basis.

Bay Commercial Bank in Walnut Creek, Calif., has agreed to buy First ULB in Oakland, Calif.

PCSB Bank in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., is planning to convert to stock ownership, ending 145 years as a depositor-owned mutual.

The tech firm behind USAA's digital assistant has introduced an authentication tool that identifies customers by the sound of their voice or by their facial features.

The $8.2 billion-asset company said in a press release that it will move westward with an agreement to buy the $2.5 billion-asset Southwest Bancorp in Stillwater, Okla., for $564 million.

The $1.3 billion-asset Veritex said in a press release Wednesday that it will pay $162 million for the $1.1 billion-asset Sovereign.

The industry finally sees a bit of an opening in its effort to roll back the 2010 law that capped fees on debit card transactions. But opposition from the retail sector will be fierce.

Call it the banking equivalent of a farmers market in Brooklyn: A startup is building a platform to highlight mission-driven banks for prospective customers who want to know how their money is lent.