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A move by the National Labor Relations Board could force more legal liability on franchisors for actions taken by their franchisees. Some observers believe banks could become more reluctant lending to smaller franchisors until the issue has more clarity.

FirstMerit in Akron, Ohio, posted lower third-quarter profit, citing narrower profit margins and a larger loan-loss provision.

Old National Bancorp in Evansville, Ind., reported improved third-quarter profit on growth in fees and consumer and commercial real estate lending.

Northrim BanCorp in Anchorage, Alaska, will give its chief executive the additional title of chairman, as its current chairman to plans to retire at year end.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has hired a former FBI deputy director to lead a new consulting group to address financial crime issues.

The acting head of New York’s Department of Financial Services will step down before the end of the year, giving New York Governor Andrew Cuomo a run at reshaping a regulator that has levied billions of dollars of penalties against international banks and at times raised hackles in foreign capitals.

Recent industry’s analysis of the credit market is too good to be believed or sustained, which should raise red flags for everyone.

SunTrust Banks has promoted its Atlanta market leader to a new position in wholesale banking and has named its first woman executive to lead the Atlanta market.

The third quarter showed the kind of solid results Citizens Financial hopes to achieve as a public company split off from Royal Bank of Scotland, but much work remains for Chief Executive Bruce Van Saun. He spoke with American Banker about what went right this quarter and how he's working to change the company's culture.

Old National is taking advantage of low interest rates by buying more than a dozen branches in solid real estate markets. An expected accounting rule change could encourage more banks to do the same.

Popular in San Juan, Puerto Rico, reported higher third-quarter profits, as an increase in mortgage banking and lower operating costs.

Quarterly profits fell slightly at Umpqua Holdings in Portland, Ore., because of fewer proceeds from loan sales, tighter margins and other factors.

First Niagara Financial Group in Buffalo, N.Y., swung from a loss to a third-quarter profit, as it posted growth in business loans and generated more fee income.

State Street, the world’s second- largest custody bank, said it’s firing 600 employees globally to accelerate cost reductions after the stock market slump will probably make its goal for fee revenue growth unattainable this year. The shares fell.

Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., managed to build up lending and hold its margins relatively steady last quarter, leading to a healthy gain in profits.

Hancock Holding in Gulfport, Miss., reported a lower third-quarter profit, citing a decline in net interest income and higher expenses.

Auto-lending profits helped make the quarter for Huntington Bancshares and TCF Financial, but their CEOs ended up on the hot seat, as they reported results a day after the U.S. comptroller of the currency issued another warning about declining credit quality in the market.

The decision to terminate a shared-loss agreement with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. boosted third-quarter profits at East West Bancorp in Pasadena, Calif.

Texas Capital Bancshares in Dallas reported just a modest uptick in third-quarter profits as higher compensation costs and deposit insurance assessments largely offset strong loan growth.

F.N.B. Corp. in Pittsburgh reported higher third-quarter profit, citing growth in commercial loans and leases and consumer loans.