U.S. Bancorp Investments, the brokerage affiliate of U.S. Bank, is reaping the benefits of a major makeover that began soon after William Benjamin joined the firm as its CEO almost five years ago.

BankUnited (BKU) in Miami Lakes, Fla., reported solid growth in interest income as it began its expansion into the New York City market.

A number of community banks reported higher noninterest expenses in the first quarter as they sought out ways to book more loans and charge more fees.

Wage costs offshore are on the rise. Local talent is available in abundance and the growing popularity of digital channels has created ample cost-reduction opportunities at home.

Bank of Marin Bancorp in Novato, Calif., is looking for a chief financial officer.

Jacksonville Bancorp (JAXB) in Florida has made Donald Glisson its chairman.

Money transmitter licensing requirements, know-your-customer rules and other requirements create high costs and barriers to entry for new players in the payments field, says Dave Birch of Consult Hyperion. It's dubious that all the red tape is beneficial or necessary for payment accounts with small balances, he argues.

Rurban, a $641 million-asset company, has renamed itself SB Financial Group and will trade under the stock symbol "SBFG" starting on Wednesday.

Triumph Bancorp in Dallas has agreed to National Bancshares in Bettendorf, Iowa.

Wells Fargo, led by John Stumpf, took more heat from protestors at its annual meeting even as it defeated a call for an independent review of its mortgage modifications.

New York Community Bancorp (NYCB) reported quarterly earnings that were relatively flat from a year earlier.

Regulators' plans to force banks to consider a borrower's ability to repay small-dollar, short-term advances on their direct deposits and limit the frequency of borrowing would likely upend current business practices.

The Treasury Department is neglecting its Troubled Asset Relief Program initiatives to boost small business lending and provide viable loan modifications, the program's special inspector general says.

Christopher Ewing has been named the bank's chief risk officer and will remain chief operations officer, Virginia Commerce said Tuesday.

Zions executives may have wished they never bought a failed bank after a painful conversation with analysts to explain a special charge related to old FDIC deals.

Elmira Savings Bank (ESBK) in New York has promoted Thomas Carr to become its president. Carr, 44, will remain chief operating officer, a role he has held since 2005.

Republican senators accused the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday of invading consumers' privacy while gathering massive amounts of data from financial companies.

Wells Fargo now gets a third of its fee revenue from its relatively small investment-management and brokerage businesses. Executive David Carroll explains how Wells is getting more business from its wealthy — but not too wealthy — customers and is seeking acquisitions in this market.

Though profitable, Synovus is still trying to hit its stride. Still, CEO Kessell Stelling told analysts that he wants to make acquisitions at some point in the future.

Hundreds of thousands of homes are being withheld from the market, raising questions about whether the recent run-up in housing prices is artificial.