The number of bank deals and the average sale price fell in the first half, but M&A activity could increase the rest of the year if investors keep bidding up the stocks of bank buyers.

A larger-than-usual number of small banks, rising valuations for would-be acquirers, and lingering industry challenges are increasing the odds of deals in the Pennsylvania.

Citigroup is putting 90 branch buildings in California up for sale, with plans to lease them back.

UMB Financial in Kansas City, Mo., is planning to open its first branch in Texas, according to a report.

Roberto Herencia, a veteran of bank recapitalizations, drew on tough lessons of the past to guide BXM Holdings' challenging recapitalization of Metropolitan Bank Group in Chicago.

CIB Marine Bancshares (CIBH) in Waukesha, Wis., has agreed to buy Avenue Mortgage in Naperville, Ill., CIB announced Monday. Financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

AmericanWest Bank in Spokane, Wash., has agreed to sell five Pacific Northwest branches in separate transactions.

JPMorgan Chase's decision to freeze much of its credit card debt collection operations ahead of regulatory actions appears to have cost it hundreds of millions of dollars.

Nasdaq has granted Broadway Financial (BYFC) in Los Angeles a six-month reprieve to raise its share price.

Eastwood plans to acquire the Austin, Minn., branches of QCR's Community National Bank along with $30.8 million in loans and $36.8 million in deposits, the companies announced Monday.

The $442 million-asset company began raising the capital on June 21; the campaign closed on Friday, according to a regulatory filing.

Banks are providing less warehouse financing for collateralized loan obligations, so CLO managers have dusted off an old financing tool, delayed draws, to keep pace with demand.

First Federal Bancshares of Arkansas (FFBH) in Harrison has agreed to buy First National Security in Hot Springs, Ark.

First South Bancorp, a privately held Tennessee company, has enough capital support to do deals without having to go public, CEO Chris Holmes says in a Q&A.

A breakdown of M&A announcements in the financial services industry for the week ended July 6.

Santa Monica, Calif. is expected to join a growing list of cities nationwide that are hiring private collection agencies to pursue delinquent fees, taxes and finds such as parking citations and library fees.

Anchor BanCorp Wisconsin (ABCW) has defaulted on a loan from a group of banks led by U.S. Bancorp (USB) after the Federal Reserve Board rejected a request to extend the loan.

The nation's biggest mutual thrift has endured litigation, activists' protests and a check-kiting scandal at Roma, a thrift it is trying to buy.

Senior executives at JPMorgan Chase and TD Bank predict that the Affordable Care Act, aka "Obamacare," will put some of their health care clients out of business but provide extra M&A advisory work.

Community Bank Shares of Indiana in New Albany recorded a nearly $1 million charge in the second quarter for a failed-bank acquisition.