Homes listed in some stage of foreclosure or bank owned accounted for 24% of all U.S. residential sales in the fourth quarter, up from 20% in the previous quarter but down 26% of all sales in the fourth quarter of 2010, according to the 2011 U.S. Foreclosure Sales Report released Thursday by RealtyTrac.

When a judge blocked BankAtlantic's complicated deal to sell the healthy portion of its thrift to BB&T, it was the third so-called good bank/bad bank deal in Florida to get hung up.

Banks eager to deploy excess capital through acquisitions or loan growth continue to face two immense challenges: unrealistic price demands from sellers' and fierce competition for commercial loans.

First California Financial Group Inc. in Westlake Village, Calif., has agreed to buy a small California bank about a month after announcing that it had hired an investment bank to explore its options.

A judge's ruling against the sale of BankAtlantic to BB&T could also empower holders of trust preferred securities to play a bigger role in M&A.

The Wisconsin private equity company, not to be confused with the New York firm, wants more capital to invest in smaller banks. Jon Bruss, the company's CEO, shares his thoughts on banking, private equity and what the future holds for struggling banks.

The strikingly low price Citizens Financial Group Inc. has agreed to accept for its New York supermarket branches reflects a lack of demand for deposits — and for those particular branches.

Carlile Bancshares Inc. in Fort Worth announced late Monday that it is acquiring Northstar Financial Corp. in Denton, Texas, and its subsidiary, the $950 million-asset Northstar Bank.

People's United has agreed to pay $3.25 million to acquire Citizens Financial' 52 branches inside Stop & Shop supermarkets on Long Island and elsewhere in New York, plus four traditional branches.

Bank of Montreal said first-quarter earnings rose 34% to top C$1 billion, helped by much lower loan-loss provisions and the recent acquisition of Marshall & Ilsley Corp.

BankAtlantic Chairman Alan Levan indicated that a court decision to block the sale of the company's thrift unit to BB&T could essentially derail the deal.

Prosperity's agreement to pay $529 million for American State Financial is one of the priciest deals since Comerica agreed to buy Sterling Bancshares more than a year ago, but the reaction to it is much more positive than it was to Comerica's deal.

Dippin' Dots Inc.'s biggest lender wants the bankruptcy court to oust the founder and president, Curt Jones, who more than 20 years ago invented the flash-frozen ice cream treat for which the company is named, after accusing him of manipulating the Kentucky manufacturer's sale and putting its future at risk.

An activist investor resigned from the board of First Financial Northwest after just five weeks when his demands for austerity measures were tabled. The investor, who is now planning a proxy fight, had asked that the company serve only hard candy at annual meetings, among other demands.

"Confidence was so shattered that banks were holding vast unlent sums, and businesses did not want to invest in new capital even though interest rates were at abnormally low levels…The general loss in confidence was the main cause of the low demand, and thus the low level of employment."

Prosperity Bancshares Inc. in Houston has struck another deal in Texas, announcing Monday that it would buy American State Financial Corp. in Lubbock for about $528 million in cash and stock.

LONDON - HSBC Holdings PLC Monday posted a 2011 net profit of $16.8 billion, boosted by a strong commercial banking performance and accounting gains on its own debt that helped offset weaker investment banking returns.

Revenue at M&T's big acquisition remains steady but profits are not as strong as some expected nine months later.

Nearly two years after receiving a $200 million infusion from a group led by WL Ross & Co. to execute a roll-up strategy in the Midwest, Talmer Bancorp has received a second serving of capital to help it bankroll further deals.

Two banks failed on Friday, with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. only finding a buyer for one of the fallen institutions.