Assured Guaranty plummets 49% on analyst downgrade, Moody’s credit concerns

Bond insurance holding company Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO) is sinking 49% today after analysts at J.P. Morgan downgraded the Bermuda-based company ahead of the opening to “neutral” from... | NYSE: AGO |Comment

CalFirst Bancorp up 23% on repurchase plan of 1.3M shares

California First National Bancorp (Nasdaq:CFNB) is up more than 23% after announcing ahead of the opening that it had begun a “Dutch Auction” tender to repurchase 1.3 million shares of common... | Nasdaq: CFNB |Comment

Pinnacle Financial falls 10% after downgrade to ‘neutral’

Bank holding company Pinnacle Financial Partners (Nasdaq:PNFP) is down 10% after analysts at Janney Montgomery downgraded the stock ahead of the opening to “neutral” from “buy.” | Nasdaq: PNFP |Comment

Southwest Bancorp gains 17% on Q2 earnings in line with analyst estimates

Financial holding company Southwest Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:OKSB) is up 17% today after announcing ahead of the opening its second-quarter earnings were in line with analyst estimates. | Nasdaq: OKSB |Comment

UAL up 10% in pre-market on analyst upgrade

United Airlines Inc.’s holding company UAL Corporation (Nasdaq:UAUA) is up more than 10% in pre-market trading after analysts at J.P. Morgan upgraded the company before the opening to... | Nasdaq: UAUA |Comment

MGIC Investment skyrockets 47% on increased Q2 sales, new mortgages

Holding company MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE:MTG) is soaring more than 47% higher after announcing its policy sales had increased during the 2008 second quarter. | NYSE: MTG |Comment

Provident Bankshares jumps 28% on strong Q2 earnings

Bank holding company Provident Bankshares Corporation (Nasdaq:PBKS) is up 28% today after reporting strong second-quarter earnings. | Nasdaq: PBKS |Comment

Cheviot Financial jumps 33% on Q2 profits

Holding company Cheviot Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:CHEV) is up 33% today after posting second-quarter results that were 64% higher than the same quarter a year ago. | Nasdaq: CHEV |Comment

CVB Financial gains 18% on strong Q2 earnings

Holding company CVB Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:CVBF) shares are up more than 18% today after the company reported after Wednesday's close a profitable second quarter. | Nasdaq: CVBF |Comment

Oneida Financial soars 14% after announcing $0.24 cash dividend

Holding company Oneida Financial Corp. (Nasdaq:ONFC) is up 14% today after announcing just after the opening that would pay a cash dividend $0.24 per share of its common stock. | Nasdaq: ONFC |Comment

SCBT Financial gains 9% as Q2 profit rises

SCBT Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:SCBT) is up 9% today after it reported after Tuesday’s close that its profit had grown in the second quarter. | Nasdaq: SCBT |Comment

First Horizon National falls 24% to new low for year

First Horizon National Corporation (NYSE:FHN) is down more than 24% today to hit a new low for the year. | NYSE: FHN |Comment

Superior Bancorp drops 13% to 52-week low on analyst downgrade

Superior Bancorp (Nasdaq:SUPR) is down 13% to a 52-week low today after analysts at Janney, Montgomery and Scott downgraded the company ahead of the opening to “neutral” from “buy.” | Nasdaq: SUPR |Comment

Severn Bancorp Q2 earnings sink 43.9%; shares flat

Severn Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq:SVBI) reported after the opening today its profits for the quarter ended June 30 had tumbled 43.9%. Despite the bleak second-quarter results, shares of Severn Bancorp... | Nasdaq: SVBI |Comment

WGNB sinks 19% on Q2 earnings loss

Holding company WGNB Corp. (Nasdaq:WGNB) is down nearly 19% today to a 52-week low after it announced a second-quarter loss of $4.3 million, or $0.71 per share, compared with earnings of $2.3... | Nasdaq: WGNB |Comment

Columbia Banking slips 12% in pre-market, continues two-day slide

Columbia Banking System Inc. (Nasdaq:COLB) is down more than 12% in pre-market trading today after the Tacoma, Wash.-based holding company closed nearly 41% lower on Thursday. | Nasdaq: COLB |Comment

Columbia Banking skids 43% to 52-week low on loan-loss provision, two downgrades

Columbia Banking System Inc. (Nasdaq:COLB) is down 43% after announcing on Wednesday it expects to make a provision for loan losses of $15.4 million for the second quarter of 2008. | Nasdaq: COLB |Comment

IndyMac Bancorp skids 43% in pre-market on job cuts, halting of new loans

IndyMac Bancorp Inc. (NYSE:IMB) is sinking more than 43% ahead of today’s opening bell, after the holding company announced late in the trading day Monday it would stop new loans. | NYSE: IMB |Comment

CBRL Group sinks in pre-market on lowered fiscal 2008 guidance

CBRL Group Inc. (Nasdaq:CBRL) dropped 14% in pre-market trading on Tuesday after the company announced it had lowered its fiscal 2008 guidance. | Nasdaq: CBRL |Comment

Boston Private falls to 52-week low, raises loan loss provision

Shares of Boston Private Financial Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: BPFH) have declined to a new 52-week low on news the bank holding company will have to increase the loan loss provisions of one of its... | BPFH |Comment

Banner Corp. rises after declaring dividend

Banner Corp. (Nasdaq: BANR) shares are increasing moderately after the bank holding company announced that its board of directors declared its regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share.... | BANR |Comment

California First National posts decline for Q2 EPS

Shares of California First National Bancorp (Nasdaq: CFNB) are rallying in light of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut, despite posting a 40% decline in its fiscal second-quarter earnings. | CFNB |Comment

Provident Bankshares swings to Q4 loss

Shares of Provident Bankshares Corp. (Nasdaq: PBKS) are depreciating on news after the close on Wednesday that the bank holding company swung to a fourth-quarter net loss. | PBKS |Comment

Irwin Financial expects to post loss in Q4 on mortgage crisis

The mortgage crisis has claimed yet another victim. Irwin Financial Corp. (NYSE: IFC), a bank holding company focusing on small business and consumer mortgage lending, said Thursday after the close... | IFC |Comment

North Pointe Holdings acquired by QBE Insurance Group

North Pointe Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq: NPTE) shares are soaring after Australia-based QBE Insurance Group Ltd. announced it is acquiring North Pointe for $146 million in cash. QBE said it is making... | NTPE |Comment

HMS Holdings Corp.: A picture of good health

Using data from 260 insurers, along with government information on eligibility and claims, HMS Corp. (Nasdaq: HMSY) makes sure that the correct party is paying for the health-care services rendered. | HMSY |Comment

North Valley Bancorp falls, won't merge with Sterling Financial

Shares of North Valley Bancorp (Nasdaq: NOVB) are falling following news before the start of trading that the bank holding company has decided to cancel its merger with Sterling Financial Corp.... | STSA |Comment

BWAY Holding Co. clocks net loss in FY07

BWAY Holding Co. (NYSE: BWY), a supplier of general line rigid containers, reported a net loss for the quarter related in part to IPO charges. | BWY |Comment

VCG Holding's Q3 revenue surges 166%

VCG Holding Corp.’s (AMEX: PTT) third-quarter revenue surged 166% to $10.9 million from $4.1 million a year earlier. The adult nightclub owner and operator’s profit for the three months ended... | PTT |Comment

Global Cash Access Holdings plunges on delayed Q3 filing due to investigation

Global Cash Access Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GCA) shares are plunging after the operator of casino ATMs said it will delay its third-quarter regulatory filing. The Las Vegas-based business said the... | GCA |Comment

Universal Insurance Holdings Q3 net rises above year-ago level

Insurance holding company Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc. (AMEX: UVE) after Wednesday’s close reported third-quarter results above a year ago, but said it took a charge in its property and... | UVE |Comment

Dynacq Healthcare swings to profit in Q4 and fiscal year

Dynacq Healthcare, Inc. (Nasdaq: DYII) said it swung to a profit in its fiscal fourth quarter and reported fiscal 2007 full-year results. | DYII |Comment

Omega Financial rise on buyout news

Shares of Omega Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: OMEF) are rising following news before the start of trading that the bank holding company is being purchased by F.N.B. Corp. (NYSE: FNB) for about $393... | FNB |Comment

21st Century Holding Company drops as Q3 profit falls

Shares of 21st Century Holding Company (Nasdaq: TCHC) fell sharply on news after the start of trading that third-quarter profit suffered a sharp decline. | TCHC |Comment

Mercantile Bank down on lower Q3 profit

Mercantile Bank Corp. (Nasdaq: MBWM) shares are down after the bank holding company reported a narrower third-quarter profit, due to the volatile real estate market. The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based... | MBWM |Comment

Peoples Community Bancorp higher, merges with Integra Bank

Shares of Peoples Community Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCBI) are higher following news before the opening bell that the West Chester, Ohio-based savings and loan holding company is being purchased by... | PCBI |Comment

Mergers boost stocks

The Russell 2000 and the Dow gained on news of mergers and acquisitions, while major banks moved to boost liquidity. | MGM |Comment

Life Partners Holdings rises on news of quarterly dividend

Shares of Life Partners Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: LPHI) appreciated today on news during trading hours that the financial services holding company announced a cash dividend and set a date for its... | LPHI |Comment

Retail sales boost stocks

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) are higher on news of higher-than-expected U.S. retail sales in July. | LEND |Comment

Pre-market: VIVUS Inc., Hoku Scientific Inc. and ShengdaTech Inc. lead small-cap volume

VIVUS, Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS), Hoku Scientific, Inc. (Nasdaq: HOKU) and ShengdaTech Inc. (Nasdaq: SDTH) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday pre-market trading among those with... | VVUS |Comment

Hemosense Inc., CompuDyne Corporation, RAM Holdings Ltd. lead Tuesday small-cap percentage gainers

Hemosense, Inc. (AMEX: HEM), CompuDyne Corporation (Nasdaq: CDCY) and RAM Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq: RAMR) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Tuesday's trading among companies with market... | HEM |Comment

Stocks jump after late rally

The Russell 2000 and the Dow posted solid gains following a strong rally late in the afternoon. | CFC |Comment

Top small-cap Monday percentage gainers: Gigabeam Corp., Fremont General Corp., Enterprise Financial Services Corp.

Gigabeam Corp. (Nasdaq: GGBM), Fremont General Corp. (NYSE: FMT) and Enterprise Financial Services Corp. (Nasdaq: EFSC) are among the biggest percentage gainers in Monday's trading among companies... | GGBM |Comment

Top small-cap Monday percentage losers: RAM Holdings Ltd., Moldflow Corp., Standard Motor Products Inc.

RAM Holdings Ltd. (Nasdaq: RAMR), Moldflow Corp. (Nasdaq: MFLO) and Standard Motor Products, Inc. (NYSE: SMP) are the biggest percentage losers in Monday's trading among companies with market... | RAMR |Comment

Stocks fall on jobs data

The Russell 2000 (NYSE: IWM) and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDU) are in negative territory following news of weaker-than-expected job creation in July. | LEND |Comment

Top Wednesday small-cap percentage losers: Houston Wire & Cable Co., Crystal River Capital Inc., NovaStar Financial Inc.

Houston Wire & Cable Co. (Nasdaq: HWCC), Crystal River Capital, Inc. (NYSE: CRZ) and NovaStar Financial Inc. (NYSE: NFI) are the biggest percentage losers in Wednesday's trading among companies... | HWCC |Comment

Thursday small-cap pre-market volume leaders: Wavecom S.A., Flow International Corp., Fuwei Films Co., Ltd

Wavecom S.A. (Nasdaq: WVCM), Flow International Corp. (Nasdaq: FLOW) and Fuwei Films Co., Ltd (Nasdaq: FFHL) are among the most actively traded companies in Thursday pre-market trading among those... | WVCM |Comment

Yadkin Valley Financial rises on higher Q2 profit

Shares of Yadkin Valley Financial Corp. (Nasdaq: YAVY) have managed a small gain following news of a second-quarter earnings increase. | YAVY |Comment

Partners Trust Financial Group rises on buyout, higher profit

Shares of Partners Trust Financial Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRTR) have appreciated on news of a merger with M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) and a rise in second quarter profit. | MTB |Comment

Russell leads as Dow nears 14,000

The Russell 2000 is the most bullish of the major indices so far today, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average is within reach of 14,000. | WFC |Comment