Joseph Ficalora, the CEO of New York Community Bancorp, blames the tumble in its shares this week on traders betting against the company ahead of its third-quarter earnings report.

C.G. Kum, the CEO of First California Financial Group, gave inconclusive answers to analysts' questions about whether the $2 billion-asset company can resist shareholder calls to seek buyer.

Experts believe more Tarp participants will fail as the economy plods along, and that investors should keep this in mind when bidding on auctions of the Treasury's Tarp holdings.

Yadkin Valley Financial has raised $45 million through a private placement and said it will use the funds to "complete strategic classified asset disposition sales."

The New York firm led by Joseph Stilwell disclosed stakes in four new thrifts and cashed out of 10 other institutions during the third quarter. Its investments often signal plans to pressure companies to improve shareholder value.

A pickup in lending lifted First California Financial Group (FCAL) in Westlake Village in the third quarter.

Third-quarter income at Susquehanna Bancshares (SUSQ) more than doubled as loan growth soared, partly from two recent acquisitions.

Nationstar Mortgage bid roughly $2.907 billion for the origination and servicing assets of Residential Capital Corp., about $93 million shy of the top bid placed by Ocwen Financial and its partner Walter Investment Management Corp.

General Electric held takeover talks with New Jersey's Hudson City Bancorp shortly before the lender agreed to a $3.7 billion sale to M&T Bank in August, three people with knowledge of the matter said.

A state law that eased restrictions on credit card rates in Ohio influenced the move, the Columbus company said.

Leaders of the largest banks are using third-quarter calls to discuss a reluctance to pursue bank acquisitions. The underlying message? Smaller banks are likely to spur the next big wave of consolidation.

PL Capital recently put Malvern Bancorp and Orrstown Financial on notice that it is watching management's moves, while First Financial Northwest continues to absorb litigation costs months after an investor contested the results of an annual meeting.

Ocwen Financial won a $3 billion auction for Residential Capital's loan-servicing unit, outbidding Nationstar Mortgage as it aims to become the largest non-bank home-loan servicer.

Earnings at the $7.5 billion-asset company in DeWitt, N.Y., fell 8.5%, to $18.3 million, from a year earlier, it reported Tuesday.

Pacific Continental (PCBK) in Eugene, Ore., has agreed to buy Century Bank for $13.4 million in cash.

Lower yields and higher expenses weighed on Hudson City Bancorp (HCBK) in Paramus, N.J., in the third quarter.

An agreement to purchase $5.9 billion of assets from the retail giant positions TD for further growth in the credit-card business, while providing a blueprint for future deals.

Gregory Mitchell, who left First PacTrust Bancorp last month, has joined First Tech Federal Credit Union as president and CEO. In a letter posted on First Tech's website, Mitchell admitted to having a credit union membership while running at least two banks.

American Heritage in California had been facing pressure from the OCC to diversity beyond SBA lending. Rather than reinvent itself, the bank found an eager buyer in Sterling Financial, a Spokane, Wash., company that wants to expand the SBA platform.

Straying far from home is often a mistake. F.N.B. can speak to that from a past foray into Florida. But the Pennsylvania bank says its more focused deal in Maryland will work.