Industry Insight

The ranking supports what should be a key boast about Kansas City -- that it’s one of the top areas in the country for growth in the professional, technical and scientific services sector.   Read More...

Three Missouri banks cracked the top 25 on Forbes’ list of best banks for 2013.
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Ascension Insurance Inc. has acquired Atlanta-based Modern Services Insurance Agency Inc., the company announced Thursday.   Read More...

For the fourth time in five years, Commerce Bank topped the J.D. Power and Associates U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study in the Midwest Region.   Read More...

Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co said it will acquire Harleysville Group for about $760 million to expand its reach in commercial insurance lines of business and add capacity on the U.S. East Coast.   Read More...

Applebee’s International is moving its headquarters and 390 jobs to Kansas City from Lenexa, the first big counterblow by Missouri in a cross-border business-poaching feud.   Read More...

The banking industry appears to have regained some vigor during the past 10 years, with 21 states showing higher financial-sector employment. But the industry isn't out of the woods 23 states lost financial jobs during the past year.   Read More...

Overland Park-based insurance company Alternative Risk Services LLC is heading across the state line.   Read More...

Troy-based credit card processing company North American Bancard Inc. has closed on the acquisition of Haines, Fla.-based Point and Pay, an electronic payment processing service company for the public sector.   Read More...

Financial services company Northern Trust Corp. is actively planning to expand and is considering acquisitions, executives said on Wednesday.   Read More...

Stifel Financial Corp. said Monday it plans to buy San Francisco investment bank Thomas Weisel Partners for more than $300 million in stock.   Read More...

Compass Plus, an international provider of electronic funds transfer (EFT) and payments technology to financial institutions, announced it has opened its first North American office in St. Louis, and has appointed Doug Varble as its senior vice president.   Read More...

American International Group will sell a second overseas life and health insurance unit for $15.5 billion to MetLife Inc. in an ongoing bid to repay billions in government aid.   Read More...

Delta Dental of Missouri has acquired Advantica EyeCare, a Clearwater, Fla.-based vision benefits provider with 2.4 million members nationwide and annual revenue in excess of $46 million. Financial terms weren't closed.   Read More...

Three Missouri-based banks were in the top 10 of a Forbes list of America’s Best Banks.   Read More...

For the 17th consecutive year, Edward Jones ranked No. 1 in Registered Rep. magazine’s annual survey of the nation’s five largest financial services firms.   Read More...

American Express Co. said it plans to jump into the growing online-payment business by acquiring Internet-transaction company Revolution Money for about $300 million.   Read More...

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA - News) today announced an agreement with ReliaStar Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary of ING Groep N.V., whereby RGA has acquired ReliaStar’s U.S. and Canadian group life, accident and health reinsurance business.   Read More...

Ascension Insurance Inc. has bought Commercial Insurance Group Inc. for an undisclosed amount.   Read More...

BlackRock Inc. reached an agreement to buy Barclays Global Investors from Barclays PLC for $13.5 billion, creating a money-management titan roughly twice the size of its closest competitor.

[Wall Street Journal]   Read More...