Americas

Friday's deal for Premier Financial ends a five-year M&A hiatus for the Wheeling, West Virginia-based company while marking its expansion into Michigan.

A law that took effect this week allows Florida consumers to ask state regulators to investigate why a financial institution canceled an account or rejected a loan application. The law, which applies to federally chartered banks, could lead to a legal battle over the limits of state powers.

The 3-year-old Climate First in St. Petersburg appears primed to take its renewable energy lending nationwide now that it's exiting the de novo phase.

Capital Community Bank of Provo has purchased Security Home Mortgage, headquartered in nearby Orem.

Houston-based Prosperity Bancshares said it closed its purchase of Lone Star State Bancshares about a year later than initially planned.

VersaBank in London, Ontario, agreed nearly two years ago to buy a small Minnesota bank. The buyer's CEO says he remains hopeful approval will come soon.

First National has agreed to buy Touchstone Bankshares. The combined company would have more than $500 million each of deposits and loans.

Despite further delays, the country has taken two key steps to opening up access to its Real-Time Rail, including allowing payment companies to participate without a bank partner, but it has yet to commit to a date for the project to go live.

The Columbus, Ohio, regional bank will focus first on Dallas before venturing statewide. Its move into the Lone Star State comes three months after announcing a similar initiative in the Carolinas.

Six financial institutions may be placed on West Virginia's restricted list if they are found "boycott" the fossil fuel industry, Riley Moore said.