Mercantile Bank Corporation is the holding company for Mercantile Bank of Michigan (formerly Mercantile Bank of West Michigan), which operates more than five branches in and around Grand Rapids, Holland, and Lansing. (The latter was the community bank's first foray outside the western part of Michigan, prompting the name change in 2005.) The bank targets local consumers and businesses, offering standard deposit services such as checking and savings accounts, CDs, IRAs, and health savings accounts. Loans for real estate secured by nonresidential properties make up more than half of the company's loan portfolio; business loans are about a quarter.

Shore Bancshares sits on the edge of the banking ocean. The institution is the holding company for three bank subsidiaries: The Centreville National Bank of Maryland; The Talbot Bank of Easton, Maryland; and The Felton Bank. Combined, the banks operate about 20 branches serving individuals and businesses in the Maryland counties of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne, and Talbot, as well as in Kent County, Delaware. The company sells insurance through subsidiaries The Avon-Dixon Agency and Elliott Wilson Insurance. Jack Martin & Associates, acquired in 2007, offers marine insurance products.

SouthFirst Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for SouthFirst Bank, which provides general banking services in Alabama. The bank primarily generates deposits and originates various loans. Its deposit products include NOW accounts, money-market accounts, passbook savings accounts, and certificates of deposit. The banks loan portfolio comprises one-to-four family, owner-occupied, and residential mortgage; fixed-rate and adjustable-rate-mortgage residential construction loans; consumer loans, including savings account loans; and loans secured by second mortgage on real estate, such as home improvement and home equity loans.

Shenzhen Development Bank (SDB) has international character. It was the first Chinese bank to receive significant foreign investment and its chairman and CEO, Frank Newman, is a former deputy secretary of the US Treasury. SDB has more than 250 bank branches in economic centers including Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin; it has correspondent branches in more than 70 international regions. The bank offers standard deposit and lending services to commercial and individual customers. It also trades in foreign and domestic securities and offers a mix of financial services including trust services and investment banking. Ping An Insurance owns about a third of SDB and plans to double that stake to control the bank.

Marshall & Ilsley (M&I) marshals the material means for managing money. The holding company owns flagship subsidiary M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank, M&I Bank, and Southwest Bank, which have more than 275 bank branches in the Midwest, plus some 90 more in Arizona, Florida, and Las Vegas. It is the largest bank in Wisconsin; Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and St. Louis are other key markets. Focusing on retail and commercial banking and wealth management, M&I offers standard services such as deposits, credit cards, mortgages, and business and consumer loans, as well as trust, financial advisory, private banking, mutual funds, and brokerage services. Bank of Montreal is buying M&I for some $4.1 billion.

BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) is the parent of Bank of China (Hong Kong), which has about 300 branches in Hong Kong as well as on mainland China. The bank serves local businesses and consumers, providing loans, deposit accounts, and other standard services, as well as securities brokerage, wealth management, and project financing and syndication. It also prints currency. In addition, Bank of China (Hong Kong) owns Nanyang Commercial Bank and some 70% of Chiyu Banking Corporation (both are also based in Hong Kong), as well as BOC Credit Card (International). Bank of China, which is controlled by the Chinese government, owns about two-thirds of BOC Hong Kong.

Susquehanna Bancshares rolls down the eastern seaboard. It is the holding company for Susquehanna Bank, which serves individuals and regional businesses through more than 220 branches in south-central and southeastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia. The bank offers standard services such as deposit products, loans, and credit cards, while non-banking subsidiaries provide wealth management, insurance brokerage and employee benefits, commercial finance, and vehicle leasing. Loans secured by commercial real estate account for more than 30% of the bank's portfolio; residential mortgages and business loans are more than 20% apiece.

Credit Suisse (UK) Limited offers private banking services, including deposit accounts, mutual funds, personalized financial planning services, and wealth management. It also manages assets for retail investors, intermediaries, and institutions such as corporations, pension funds, and not-for-profit entities. Other services include alternative investments (private equity, real estate, hedging strategies) and investment banking (mergers and acquisitions advice; debt and equity underwriting, sales, and trading). Credit Suisse (UK) is the London subsidiary of Zurich-based Credit Suisse Group.

Organized on June 27, 1911, Home Savings Bank has experienced growth and stability while in financial partnership with the people of Stanly County for nearly a century. From the days when our office was housed in small quarters and only open on Saturdays, to today's operations housed at our Albemarle and Locust locations, excellent customer service to our local community has been the focal point in directing Stanly County's oldest financial institution. Below is a condensed outline highlighting some of the history and development of Home Savings Bank.

Union Bank of India has more than 600 branches and a network of more than 1,100 ATMs. In addition to serving consumers, small to medium-sized businesses, and government clients in India, the bank also caters to non-resident Indians living abroad. Its standard offerings include checking and savings accounts, credit and debit cards, and home, education, and business loans. Union Bank of India also provides cash management, life and health insurance, brokerage services, and mutual funds. The government of India owns approximately 55% of the institution.

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