NBNK Investments PLC Thursday made a sweetened offer for 632 branches belonging to Lloyds Banking Group PLC, as the investment vehicle ups the ante on its bid to create a challenger bank in the U.K.

The period when banks report their first quarter financial performance is about to begin. These performance numbers will likely reinforce the reality that, absent significant changes, many banks simply cannot attain the level of profitability needed to remain viable.

More than one month after the Oklahoma Senate passed the Bartmann Ethical Debt Collection Act by a 40-2 vote, the state's House of Representatives has referred the bill for additional study.

U.S. banks and other shoppers were ready to feast on asset sales by troubled European banks, but debt finance expert Stephen Gillespie explains how accounting issues, regulatory policy and other factors have interfered.

First Mariner and Beneficial Mutual are among the banks that have gained large stakes in competitors after borrowers defaulted on loans where stock was pledged as collateral.

Heritage Financial Group (HBOS) of Albany, Ga., is entering neighboring Alabama with an agreement to buy a branch in Auburn from the banking unit of Community Capital Bancshares.

Actor Ashton Kutcher has invested in mobile payments provider Dwolla and wants to "build a killer [bleeping] company in Iowa."

With big deals still lacking, some bankers — including Umpqua's Ray Davis — are resorting to several small ones to move the needle.

Roughly 33 full-timers will lose their jobs when Ally Financial closes its MBS broker/dealer operation, according to a company spokeswoman.

Intuit has purchased the mobile commerce provider AisleBuyer.

Umpqua Holdings bought an open bank Tuesday for the first time in years, and like many of its peers chose a low-risk target that promises niche growth and little blowback from shareholders.

Capital One Financial (COF) in McLean, Va., has slashed nearly 500 assistant branch manager positions nationwide in a cost-cutting move aimed it improving its overall efficiency.

Alloya Corporate Federal Credit Union of Warrenville, Ill., the survivor of what was once Members United Corporate FCU, said Tuesday it has signed a letter of intent to combine with Central Corporate Credit Union of Michigan, creating the nation's largest corporate with almost $5 billion in assets.

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s (GS) co-head of global mergers and acquisitions Yoel Zaoui is stepping down from his post, the latest high-level exit at the Wall Street firm.

BB&T’s (BBT) deal to buy BankAtlantic Bancorp’s (BBX) thrift for up to $316 million has received the green light from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, one of three federal regulators that must approve the sale.

NCO Group Inc., in its annual report filed Friday, said its debt collection unit accounted for $1.2 billion in revenue in 2011, down 7% from 2010. The company's overall revenues totaled $1.54 billion last year, down 2% from the previous year.

First Mariner Bancorp says it recently purchased a 24.9% stake in another Maryland bank to collect collateral on a debt – not to take it over.

PremierWest Bancorp (PRWT) of Medford, Ore., will lay off staff in support areas and not fill vacant positions as it continues to implement cost-cutting measures.

A breakdown of M&A announcements for the last week

South Valley Bancorp would more than double its sale price if it collects in full on a pool of suspect business loans before its takeover by Washington Federal is completed.