Government

Minutes released by the Federal Reserve Tuesday portrayed the last Federal Open Market Committee meeting as one given to doubts about the health of the U.S. economy, housing recovery, and global markets. Discussions between the nation├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós central bank presidents reveal concern over the state of the economy and the Fed├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós ability to promote positive capital movements. The minutes also shed light on the controversial the Fed's decision to keep interest rates low until 2013.

US Bancorp joined a field of investors taking issue with the $1.75-billion deal proposed by Bank of America, filing suit to recover losses over alleged falsifications, according to multiple news outlets. Following a filing in New York by the FDIC Monday, the suit emerges as the newest in a barrage of legal maneuvers to hit the bank over bad mortgage-backed securities. The litigation, which Bank of America continues to fend off as it seeks to finalize a $8.5-billion settlement, concerns loans allegedly misrepresented by Countrywide.

In Indianapolis, Indiana, Royal United Mortgage LLC is creating more than 140 jobs with its planned expansion. The company recently announced its intention to install a new office in the north sector of the city, which will result in adding a high number of new employees between now and 2013.

A new offering from CoreLogic is set to boost Mortgage Builder Software├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós programming, with the recent addition of a CoreLogic-driven verification component that will allow for the integration of tax return income.

The FDIC stepped in late Monday to halt the mega $8.5-billion Bank of America deal over mortgage-backed securities, according to multiple news outlets. The federal agency, an erstwhile bank regulator, filed its concerns in a U.S. District in New York as an investor with claims to securities at stake in the settlement. A state judge in New York will preside over the decision to green-light the settlement come November, even as an investor group persists in trying to kick the case up to a federal court, according to Bloomberg News.

Overture Technologies, Inc., has been partially acquired by CompuGain Corporation and its mortgage division is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. Overture, a software solutions company for the mortgage and educational finance industries, sold its mortgage component to CompuGain and will continue to operate as Overture Financial Solutions under the CompuGain banner.

Sperlonga Data and Analytics welcomes Brent Stokes as its choice for the company├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós newly created position of senior vice president. Stokes brings veteran experience earned over a 26-year career in the mortgage industry to his new role, which encompasses Sperlonga├â┬ó├óÔÇÜ┬¼├óÔÇ×┬ós homeowners association-oriented programs for lenders, investors, servicers, and other stakeholders.

The FDIC went after 34 banks for violations of federal law and agency requirements over July, slapping nearly 20 with civil fines, notifying some to correct recent decisions, and barring directors with two institutions to cease their involvement in executive decisions over allegations of personal and fiduciary misconduct. The majority of institutions felt the sting of civil money fines for various reasons. Also, no banks failed over the weekend, leading an FDIC spokesperson to conclude that the trend will continue over 2011.

Another week rolled by with more instances of mortgage fraud, as reported by several news outlets from around the country. Defendants alternately received indictments, pled guilty, and submitted to their sentences from courts as a result of allegations and convictions stemming from mortgage fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money-laundering activities. The alleged activities resulted in millions of dollars in fraudulently obtained money from lenders.

Big lenders are set to unload up to $5 billion in commercial mortgage bonds, with planned securities offerings scheduled in September and October. Participating financial institutions include Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp., Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo & Co., Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. The upcoming bond sales are largely attributed to the effects of struggling U.S. employment numbers, the European debt crisis, and the resistance against debt.