Latest mortgage mess will cost banks less than feared

Right on the heels of a foreclosure fiasco that saw a number of firms impose temporary moratoriums to sort out faulty procedures, the latest crisis in the banking sector relates to mortgage “putbacks,” or investors pushing companies to repurchase loans that were packaged into mortgage-backed securities (MBS). This isn’t some ragtag band of bondholders trying to get a quick payday — the group includes BlackRock, Pimco and the New York Fed – but even if they prove successful it’s unlikely the banking sector is going to be hit with the $130 billion tab someworst-case projections have suggested. For one thing, BofA and its ilk are not just going to roll over to demands from MBS investors; BofA chief Brian Moynihan has already vowed to fight back at unfounded claims. For another, the $130 billion figure is likely several times larger than the ultimate costs.

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