Bank channel

Left unchanged for two decades, the definition of brokered deposits is about to receive an update — one that could significantly alter the regulatory landscape for many small banks.

Both companies have developed alternative payment networks that observers say could undermine the scale of dominant payments providers like MasterCard and Visa.

Raymond James Financial has completed its acquisition of Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett, Inc.

Capitol Bancorp said its annual report that it was notified on March 30 that it would receive a subpoena from the SEC's Chicago office concerning its third-quarter reporting.

Sal Marranca's experience as a bank examiner and a community banker prepared him for the task ahead: Serving as a bridge between the two sides at a time of growing animosity.

On a nationwide basis, unemployment and jobless-claims data have slowly improved. But the metrics vary widely from market to market and, complicating matters, many bank operations, even those of regionals, straddle strong and weak markets.

Union Bank of California enjoyed a steep increase in brokerage revenue last year, due to increased referrals to its advisors from a beefed-up corps of licensed bankers.

According to the first annual Kehrer-Limra 2011 Predictions Survey, executives from responding banks are not only bullish on hiring, but they report that sales are shifting toward newer hybrid products, and institutions are more optimistic about succeeding at an integrated approach across brokerage, trust and private banking.

The past few years have been rewarding for bank employees. OK, maybe not the rescues, stagnant loan books, layoffs and litigation. But none of these disasters hurt pay at banks.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank required more time to review the more than 11,000 comment letters it's received on its interchange proposal issued in December.

The combination of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan and sustained instability and violence in the Middle East are taking their toll on U.S. and international markets and compelling large financial institutions to reassess their short- and long-term investments as they await the fallout.

Continued poor rate spreads between CDs and annuity yields pushed bank-sold annuity sales last year to their lowest level since 2000 and off more than 25% from what was widely viewed as a lackluster 2009.

Rauchle previously was founder and president of Wells Fargo Alternative Asset Management.

As banks overhaul compensation to appease regulators and shareholders, some large lenders are tying their pay incentives to criteria under which the companies already excel.

When two tiny banks merge to form a slightly less tiny bank, which institution really reaps the efficiencies: the merged entity — or a larger acquirer down the road?

The Bank of Commerce in Wood Dale, Ill., became the nation's 26th failed bank of the year late Friday.

Experts in white-collar crime said they would be surprised if at this point the government started rounding up bankers en masse to face criminal charges.

The special inspector general for Tarp will wrap up his two-year-plus tour on Wednesday, and he has nothing good to say about Treasury's implementation of the $700 billion bailout.

While half of U.S. banks are aware of the opportunity with mass affluent investors and are busy enhancing their online capabilities, the other half believe they distinguish themselves from the Charles Schwabs of the world with in-person advice.

Although bankers are likely to have significant concerns about the risk retention proposal due next week, they appear to have won at least one victory already.