Preferred Bank Reports Preliminary First Quarter Results

Preferred Bank (Nasdaq: PFBC), an independent commercial bank focusing on the Chinese-American and diversified Southern California mainstream market, today reported preliminary results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. Preferred Bank reported net income of $3.1 million or $0.20 per diluted share for the quarter compared to a net loss of $1.3 million or $0.14 per diluted share for the first quarter of 2009 and compared to a net loss of $28.4 million or $1.80 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2009.

Stifel Financial and Thomas Weisel Partners Announce Strategic Merger

Building the Premier Middle-Market Investment Bank

Stifel Financial Corp. (NYSE:SF ) and Thomas Weisel Partners Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWPG ) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to build the premier middle-market investment bank with significantly enhanced investment banking, research and wealth management capabilities. An investor and analyst conference call has been scheduled for today, April 26, at 6:00 a.m. (Pacific) and 9:00 a.m. (Eastern).

The terms of the agreement, approved by the boards of both companies, call for each TWPG share to be exchanged for 0.1364 shares of SF common stock. Thomas Weisel Partners has approximately 32.8 million shares outstanding as of March 31, 2010. The deal is valued at more than $300 million, which includes the outstanding shares and restricted stock units and warrants.

TD mobile app now available for iPhone and iPod touch

Designed to offer on-the-go services for banking, insurance and wealth management

TD today announced that its free mobile app is now available to download onto iPhone and iPod touch devices. The TD mobile app gives personal and small business banking customers the ability to securely bank on-the-move, and insurance and wealth management clients the ability to easily connect to TD all through one app. In addition, a North American TD Locator makes it easy to find TD in both Canada and the U.S. - where customers can access their TD accounts without incurring any ATM fees at more than 5,000 TD ATMs on both sides of the border.

Loonie could fly above par with U.S. dollar this summer: CIBC World Markets Inc.

Interest rate hike expectations, investor demand for Canada are driving dollar higher

Multiple forces are at play that could push the Canadian dollar past parity with the U.S. greenback this summer, according to a new report from CIBC World Markets Inc.

"Indeed, we've already seen the Canadian dollar gain several cents in recent weeks as the market began to firm up expectations" of an interest rate hike in July by the Bank of Canada, says Avery Shenfeld CIBC's chief economist. "If as we expect, the Bank is out in front of the U.S. Federal Reserve by a couple of quarters, a higher Canadian dollar will help tighten monetary conditions. It's easy to see the Canadian dollar running a few cents through parity after the first hike."