Shares of City National Corp. in Los Angeles rose Friday after it beat its earnings estimates on strong wealth management income.

The DBA International Board of Directors is accepting applications from representatives of third-party collection agencies who wish to be considered for a position on the Debt Buyer Certification Council.

First Niagara Financial Group (FNFG) in Buffalo, N.Y., met quarterly earnings estimates as its lending income ticked up and margins widened.

Washington Federal (WAFD) in Seattle has agreed to buy 51 branches from Bank of America (BAC).

Independent Bank Group has agreed to buy Collin Bank, the first acquisition for Independent since it raised $87 million in an April initial public offering.

Synovus Financial (SNV) said Thursday it plans to use a combination of new capital and cash on hand to repurchase preferred stock from the Troubled Asset Relief Program.

Sidelined by the Fed this year, BB&T wants to get back to buying banks in 2014 provided the Fed accepts its updated capital plan. Its peers are more cautious.

Steven Eckhaus, a prominent compensation adviser to senior bankers, has found a new home at the law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft.

Capital One Financial Corp., the lender that gets more than half its revenue from credit cards, posted a second-quarter profit that beat analysts' estimates as a boost in U.S. consumer confidence helped fuel spending.

It might take "another year from now" to finish Dodd-Frank rules that seek to end "too big to fail," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said. That was a slower timetable than that given by Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew.

Fifth Third, Huntington and KeyCorp all meet or beat earnings estimates, but in conference calls with analysts Thursday their executives were cautious about their growth prospects for the second half of the year.

U.S. Bancorp CEO Richard Davis' lack of interest in bank deals, and enthusiasm for M&A opportunities in the payments business, are signs of the times.

First Republic Bank's shares surged Thursday after the San Francisco lender reported a 16% rise in quarterly profit, driven by investment-advisor revenue.

Dodd-Frank spurred many mutual banks to convert to stock ownership. Now these well-capitalized, strategically located institutions are approaching the end of the three-year probationary period before they can be sold.

These banks have money to spend, strong stocks and a stated goal of expansion through M&A. Look for them to buy a bank this year or early next year. After all, dealmaking takes time.

PrivateBancorp (PVTB) in Chicago reported a jump in quarterly income as costs associated with soured loans and foreclosed properties fell sharply.

Fifth Third Bancorp said second-quarter profit rose 58% as lending and fee income grew and the bank posted a gain from selling a stake in Vantiv Inc.

Customers are putting their cash to work, or at least taking it out of the bank, and bankers like U.S. Bancorp CEO Richard Davis think that could signal higher demand for loans down the road.

Strong gains in asset-management fees and a variety of one-time benefits helped offset a dip in interest income at the Pittsburgh bank. Its CEO says to look for more of the same in the second half of the year — and not to expect it to buy another bank.

M&T, in Buffalo, N.Y., is still comfortable with its decision to acquire the mortgage lender even though a recent rise in mortgage rates could crimp Hudson City's profits.