F.N.B. receives regulatory approval for purchase of Howard Bank

F.N.B. Corp. has cleared the main hurdles to its pending acquisition of Baltimore's largest bank. On Tuesday, F.N.B. (NYSE:FNB) said it has received all regulatory clearances for its proposed merger with Howard Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: HBMD). Pittsburgh-based F.N.B. announced the $418 million all-stock transaction on July 13, marking its first bank buy in more than four years. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Maryland Office…