Low interest rates and fierce competition for loans will drive down third-quarter earnings at most large banks, analysts say.

The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is giving $1 million apiece to five African American-owned banks in an effort to create more lending opportunities for people and businesses in minority communities.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended Oct. 5

Community bankers should opt out of the requirement to deduct unrealized gains and losses from AOCI; be aware of the challenges and opportunities that Basel III creates for M&A and capital raising; and stay on guard for changes to risk weighting of mortgages, experts say.

Several community banks are scrambling to address Tarp balances, either by selling or refinancing, as the dividend rate on those shares is set to nearly double.

The Treasury Department plans to auction stakes in eight more banks as it continues winding down the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

First Farmers Bank & Trust in Converse, Ind., has received regulatory approval to acquire most of the Bank of Indiana.

Community organizations in California are urging regulators to postpone approval of PacWest Bancorp's (PACW) acquisition of CapitalSource (CSE), arguing that PacWest lacks CapitalSource's commitment to serving community needs and economically disadvantaged groups.

Royal Bank of Scotland is said to be looking for a buyer for its 105-branch network in Chicago, but finding a buyer might be difficult because of market conditions and regulatory issues.

Royal Bank of Scotland's U.S. subsidiary is adding staff in lending and wealth management under new CEO Bruce Van Saun as it looks looks to boost its loan portfolio and improve its revenues ahead of its widely anticipated public stock offering.

Federal Reserve Board Gov. Jeremy Stein on Friday laid out potential regulatory remedies to help lessen the risks associated with fire sales.

Ally Financial has completed the sale of its Brazil operations to General Motors Financial Co., a subsidiary of the automaker GM, it said. Ally (which was once itself a GM subsidiary) received $611 million in the sale.

A Republican senator is reviving a fight over using private collection agencies to help collect tax debts, four years after the program was shut down.

Talk about living your subject matter. Heather Schlegel wants to make a documentary about the where the payment system is headed, and she's using a crow-funding website to raise funds for it.

WSFS Financial in Wilmington, Del., holds the picture contest to engage customers and employees while highlighting improvements to its mobile banking.

Southwest Bancorp is merging its banks in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas into one national charter under the new name Bank SNB.

Some areas of the country are enjoying hot bank-deal markets while others are stone cold-including some over-banked ones. Robert Barba, American Banker's Chicago-based M&A reporter, explains what's behind the numbers.

Franklin Synergy Bank in Franklin, Tenn., is planning to raise money from institutional investors as a prelude to a public offering.

The $126 million-asset company expects to be eligible to deregister because its common stock has fewer than 300 shareholders, according a filing Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Prudential Bancorp (PBIP) in Philadelphia has been approved by shareholders and bank depositors for a second-step conversion.