Citi backs, JPMorgan fights law to ease home loan terms
Two giant consumer lenders that lost billions in the subprime-mortgage and credit crunch are on opposite sides over a proposed law that would let judges ease home loan terms as an alternaitve to bankruptcy.
It's a paradox: People with the least ability to pay loans are charged the highest interest rates.
Now, two giant consumer lenders have split over a proposal that would let bankruptcy judges cut home loan rates for distressed borrowers.
Citigroup backs the plan -- while JPMorgan Chase & Co. chief executive Jamie Dimon opposes it, warning it will make banks want to lend less.
Both banks are being supported by taxpayer investments as the value of their mortgage-backed securities and other assets have fallen.
To read a Financial Times story about the debate over the mortgage-revision law, copy this address to your browser:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ba131bc2-e2f6-11dd-a5cf-0000779fd2ac.html