Wells Fargo has emerged as the front-runner to buy General Electric's railcar-financing unit, people with knowledge of the matter said.

Union Federal Savings & Loan Association and First Federal Savings & Loan Association, two mutuals in Kewanee, Ill., have agreed to merge.

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First NBC Bank Holding in New Orleans has agreed to raise its purchase price for State Investors Bancorp and has delayed the targeted completion date.

Premier Financial Bancorp in Huntington, W.Va., has received a $12 million loan from First Guaranty Bancshares in Hammond, La.

PayPal is increasing prices for thousands of small businesses as the company looks to maintain revenue growth and boost profit margins as a stand- alone business separate from EBay

Western Nebraska Bank in Curtis will buy a branch in Paxton, Neb., from Pony Express Community Bank.

First Financial Northwest is moving past its thrift roots three years after a proxy battle ousted its chief executive. Other banks in the same position are still trying to get back on track.

OceanFirst Financial in Toms River, N.J., has agreed to buy a branch office in its hometown from Provident Financial Services.

Toronto-Dominion Bank is open to buying "strategically compelling" financial assets in the U.S. even as it remains focused on internal growth, Chief Financial Officer Colleen Johnston said.

First Financial Bancorp. in Cincinnati has issued $120 million in subordinated debt and plans to use the proceeds for potential stock repurchases and to support growth.

Oak Valley Bancorp in Oakdale, Calif., has agreed to buy Mother Lode Bank in Sonora, Calif.

CIT Group in New York has formed a joint venture with the private equity firm TPG Capital to provide commercial lending.

Avadian Credit Union in Birmingham, Ala., has agreed to buy American Bank of Huntsville in Alabama.

Northfield Bancorp in Woodbridge, N.J., has agreed to buy Hopewell Valley Community Bank in Pennington, N.J.

Tri-Valley Bank in San Ramon, Calif., plans to raise $1.35 million in a private placement of its common stock.

This special report takes a look at the role that activist shareholders — both traditional gadflies and institutional investors — could have on future bank consolidation. The report also includes data showing all the whole bank, failed bank and branch deals that were announced during the first half of 2015

Standard Treasury, the startup that Silicon Valley Bank absorbed this month, is helping create software gateways for the institution's high-tech business clients to customize the way they interact with it.

Traditional gadflies are again pressing banks to find buyers. They could soon be joined by less vocal investors who still know how to put pressure on executives and directors.

Marketplace lenders and other alternative finance companiesshould be perceived not as a threat, but rather as a group of pioneers opening up opportunities for those banks that elect to buy, build or partner in this market.