Marketwire - Retail Banking
Marketwire - Retail Banking

• Open EC Technologies, Inc. Cancels Stock Options
  NORTH VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Dec. 24, 2008) - Open EC Technologies Inc. (TSX VENTURE:OCE)-The Company is cancelling stock options with respect to 2,380,834 shares. Following the cancellation the Company will have 712,500 options issued under its rolling 10% stock option plan. The Company has 56,461,235 issued and outstanding common shares. Any future options to director, officers, employees and consultants will be granted, subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, on terms in accordance with the Company's Stock Option Plan and with Exchange policy.
• Barclays Canada Announces Final Annual Reinvested Distributions for the iShares Funds
  TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 24, 2008) - Barclays Global Investors Canada Limited (iShares)(TSX:XBB)(TSX:XCB)(TSX:XCG)(TSX:XCV)(TSX:XDV)(TSX:XEG)(TSX:XFN)(TSX:XGB)(TSX:XGD)(TSX:XIC)(TSX:XIN)(TSX:XIT)(TSX:XIU)(TSX:XLB)(TSX:XMA)(TSX:XMD)(TSX:XRB)(TSX:XRE)(TSX:XSB)(TSX:XSP)(TSX:XTR)(TSX:XSU)(TSX:XEN)(TSX:XCS)(TSX:XCR)(TSX:XGR)(TSX:XGC)(TSX:XAL) - Barclays Global Investors Canada Limited (Barclays Canada) announces today the final annual reinvested distributions for the iShares(R) exchange traded funds. These annual reinvested distributions generally represent realized capital gains within the funds or special dividends received by the funds. The reinvested distributions are not paid in cash but will be reported as taxable distributions and can be used to increase the investor's adjusted cost base of the fund. The net asset value and the number of units outstanding for each iShares Fund will not change as a result of these reinvested distributions. These reinvested distribution
• Royal Bank America Parent Company Receives Preliminary Approval to Participate in the U.S. Treasury Capital Purchase Program
  

  NARBERTH, PA--(Marketwire - December 23, 2008) - Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. (NASDAQ: RBPAA) ("Royal"), parent company of Royal Bank America and Royal Asian Bank, today announced it has received preliminary approval for voluntary participation in the U.S. Department of the Treasury's ("Treasury") TARP Capital Purchase Program. Under the Capital Purchase Program and subject to final approval, the Treasury will make an investment of just over $30 million in Royal in return for the issuance of $30 million in shares of senior preferred stock and warrants to purchase approximately 1.1 million shares of common stock (based on a purchase price of $4.09 per share).

• Brigitta Herzfeld Joins Management Team at Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors, Inc.
  

  MIAMI, FL--(Marketwire - December 23, 2008) - Thomas J. Herzfeld Advisors, Inc. is pleased to announce that Brigitta Herzfeld (30), daughter of firm's founder and chairman, has joined the firm. Her focus will be Asian and emerging market closed-end funds, but she will also be involved in research and operations, including duties related to The Herzfeld Caribbean Basin Fund, Inc. (NASDAQ: CUBA).

  Brigitta is a graduate of Bowdoin College (BA, Government and Legal Studies), Singapore Management University (Asian Executive Management Program), Stanford University (MA, East Asian Studies) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management (MBA).

• CFS Bancorp, Inc. Elects Not to Participate in U.S. Treasury Capital Purchase Program
  

  Declares 4th Quarter Dividend of $0.04 per Share

• 1ST Constitution Bancorp Completes Sale of $12 Million in Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock and Common Stock Warrant to the U.S. Treasury
  

  CRANBURY, NJ--(Marketwire - December 23, 2008) - 1ST Constitution Bancorp (NASDAQ: FCCY), the holding company for 1ST Constitution Bank, is pleased to announce that it closed a sale to the U.S. Treasury of 12,000 shares of Fixed Rate Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, Series B, of 1ST Constitution Bancorp for $12 million in cash and issued a warrant to the Treasury to purchase 200,222 shares of 1ST Constitution Bancorp common stock. 1ST Constitution was chosen as one of the stronger community banks to participate in the U.S. Treasury Department's TARP Capital Purchase Program. On December 11, 2008, 1ST Constitution was advised by the Treasury that 1ST Constitution's application under the program was preliminarily approved by the U.S. Treasury on December 8, 2008. 1ST Constitution intends to use the proceeds from this sale for general corporate purposes which include utilizing the additional capital to grow the le

• Smithtown Bancorp Approved by U.S. Treasury for Capital of $37.8 Million
  

  SMITHTOWN, NY--(Marketwire - December 23, 2008) - Smithtown Bancorp (NASDAQ: SMTB), the parent holding company for Bank of Smithtown, has been approved by the United States Treasury for the Treasury to purchase up to $37.8 million of preferred shares pursuant to the TARP Capital Purchase Program. If the Company chooses to accept the offer and issues the shares, the shares would be non-voting, with a 5% annual dividend for the first five years, together with the other attributes and conditions as set forth in the Treasury's program.

• Senior Management Changes at Brookfield Infrastructure Partners
  

  Aaron Regent Resigns as Co-CEO; Sam Pollock Appointed Sole Chief Executive Officer

• Le rapport annuel 2008 de la Banque Nationale est disponible aujourd'hui dans son site
  MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - 23 déc. 2008) - La Banque Nationale du Canada (TSX:NA) annonce que le rapport annuel 2008, incluant les états financiers annuels vérifiés et le rapport de gestion, est disponible sur son site Internet au www.bnc.ca/relationsinvestisseurs. Une version imprimée du rapport annuel 2008 de même que les documents relatifs à l'assemblée annuelle des actionnaires seront envoyés aux actionnaires à la fin du mois de janvier 2009, après quoi des exemplaires papier du rapport annuel pourront être obtenus sur demande, sans frais, en appelant au 1 866 517-5455, ou par courriel à relationsinvestisseurs@bnc.ca.
• National Bank of Canada 2008 Annual Report Was Posted Today on Its Web Site
  MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Dec. 23, 2008) - National Bank of Canada (TSX:NA) announces that the 2008 Annual Report, including Audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis, is available on its web site at www.nbc.ca/investorrelations. A printed copy of the 2008 Annual Report, together with the documents related to the Annual Meeting of Shareholders, will be sent to the shareholders at the end of January 2009, following which date paper copies of the Annual Report will be available, free of charge and upon request, by contacting the Investor Relations either by telephone at 1-866-517-5455 or by email at investorrelations@nbc.ca.
• Washington Federal Declares $0.05 Cash Dividend
  

  SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - December 22, 2008) - The Board of Directors of Washington Federal, Inc. (NASDAQ: WFSL), parent company of Washington Federal Savings, today announced a quarterly cash dividend of 5 cents per share. The dividend will be payable January 16, 2009 to common stockholders of record on January 2, 2009. This will be Washington Federal's 104th consecutive quarterly cash dividend.

  This cash dividend of 5 cents per share represents a decrease of 16 cents or 76% compared to the 21 cents per share paid by the Company in October 2008. The decision to reduce the cash dividend results primarily from significantly higher credit costs due to continued deterioration in the general economy and the housing market. For the quarter ended December 31, 2008, the company expects to record a provision for loan losses of approximately $35 million and believes that total non-performing assets will be approximatel

• Royal Bank America Parent Company Announces Appointment of Edward F. Bradley to Board of Directors
  

  NARBERTH, PA--(Marketwire - December 22, 2008) - Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. (NASDAQ: RBPAA) ("Royal"), parent company of Royal Bank America and Royal Asian Bank, is pleased to announce the appointment of Edward F. Bradley to its Board of Directors.

  Mr. Bradley is currently an