Wintrust Financial would sell the $161 million in deposits and three branches it bought from the failed Second Federal Savings and Loan to a credit union. Regulators will OK such deals under the right conditions, experts say.

Volatility among investment banks presents some great hiring opportunities for their rivals, says Daryle DiLascia, who recently joined Sterne, Agee & Leach from KBW to work on bank M&A.

The president and chief executive of Talbot Bank of Easton, Md., will step down at yearend and an insider will take over.

Bigger banks are farming out broker-dealer services, as regulatory compliance costs rise.

Dan Rollins has a reputation for cost-cutting, but he swears he is not arriving to the CEO suite at BancorpSouth with "preconceived ideas."

Ongoing troubles in Europe could force another bank there to sell off a key U.S. holding.

A U.S. Century spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that the $1.3 billion-asset bank's shareholders approved the sale to C1 Bank in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Teche Holding Co. (TSH) in New Iberia, La., has agreed to sell a loan portfolio with a book value of $46.3 million.

Wells Fargo is among several American institutions trying to capitalize on strong ties between the U.S. and Canada and capture clients doing business on both sides of the border.

There are too many banks that "cannot survive," the heads of CertusBank say in discussing their recent acquisition of a failed bank and predictions of more to come.

More banks are looking to outsource advisory tasks as compliance costs rise, though some observers believe the trend could lead to more oversight of the actual vendor relationships.

Coronado First Bank (NADO) in California has agreed to buy San Diego Private Bank for roughly $15.5 million in stock.

Cardinal Bankshares said that falling property valuations and foreclosure charges contributed to a loss during its third quarter.

Banks must understand the risks associated with a potential partnership, assess how the effort will support their overall strategy and hire the right talent to manage the venture once it has been approved.

Charter Financial in West Point, Ga., plans to sell additional stock and convert to a full public company from a mutual.

These banks have outperformed industry averages for years and continued to do so in 2012, avoiding the exceptional losses that often follow exceptional returns.

U.S. Bank in Minneapolis would gain an in-house prepaid card processor and tap a rich corporate payroll segment in buying FSV Payment Systems.

StoneCastle Cash Management, an investment adviser that provides funding solutions for community banks, is buying a listing service for buyers and sellers of certificates of deposit.

Margin pressure, regulatory hurdles and intense competition will test the nation's smallest banks next year, industry experts predict. Those issues could lead to a resurgence of consolidation among community banks.

Regulators released new details on how they will enforce restrictions on charter swaps by troubled banks.