U.S. judge OKs JPMorgan $218 mln Madoff class-action settlement

NEW YORK, March 21 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday gave final approval to JPMorgan Chase & Co's $218 million settlement to resolve class-action litigation accusing the largest U.S. bank of playing a central role in the huge Ponzi scheme of former client Bernard Madoff. U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon in Manhattan said the accord "easily meets the standards" for final approval, and provides "substantial and immediate" benefits to the swindler's former customers. She also awarded $18 million of fees to law firms that represented the customers: Entwistle & Cappucci, and Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro. The settlement was part of a $2.24 billion global resolution of Madoff-related matters by JPMorgan, which was Madoff's main bank for more than 20 years. JPMorgan also agreed to pay $1.7 billion to settle civil claims by the U.S. government, and $325 million to settle claims by Irving Picard, the trustee liquidating Madoff's firm. Picard has estimated that Madoff customers lost $17.3 billion of principal. Madoff is serving a 150-year prison term. The cases are Hill et al v. JPMorgan Chase & Co, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 11-07961; and Shapiro et al v. JPMorgan Chase & Co et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 11-08331. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Tom Brown)

JPMorgan board "strongly endorses" dual role for Dimon

The board of directors of JPMorgan Chase & Co said on Friday it "strongly endorses" keeping Jamie Dimon as both their chairman and chief executive of the company.
The comment, contained inthe opening pages of the company's proxy filing ahead of its annual meeting on May 21, is a more vigorous affirmation of the same view the paneltook last year when it opposed an unsuccessful shareholder proposal to split the roles.
The remark comes even after the board said in January that it had cut Dimon's annual compensation in half for 2012 to $11.5 million after the company lost $6.2 billion on derivatives in the so-called "London Whale" trades.
The board said the"strength and independence" of its oversight had been demonstrated by actions the company took after thetrading debacle.
The company has since overhauled its risk controlsand replaced some of its top executives.
The new proxy includes a fresh shareholder proposalcalling for different peopleto hold the posts of CEO and chairman. It is similar to last year's proposal which received 40 percentof the vote.
That vote came five days after the company suddenly announced on May 10 that it had a loss of more than $2 billion on derivatives trades. The size of the loss grew afterward and investors learned more details from congressional hearings about how badly the company had handled its investment portfolio.
Proponents of this year's proposal, who include managers of pension fundsfor New York City employees and for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, haveadded the derivatives loss as a reason to separate the roles.
The board, as it did last year, said it while it is glad to have Dimon in both roles it has not ruled out separating the posts in the future.
This year's meeting, like last year's, is to be held in a JPMorgan office park in Tampa, Florida.
JPMorgan shares have recovered all of the marketvalue they lost after the derivatives debacle. The stock traded up 0.9 percent on Friday to$48.78 at the close of NewYork Stock Exchange trading. It was at $40.74 on May 10 before the company admitted it was losing billions of dollars onthe trades.
Dimon's total compensation, as presented according to theU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission format, was $18.7 million in 2012, down from $23.1 million in 2011. Company and SEC pay counts can differ with the timing of incentive compensation.

List of banks in Texas

*. First Bank
Includes First Bank, whichserves Missouri and Illinois, and First Bank & Trust, which operates in California and Texas.
www.firstbanks.com
*. Broadway Bank
www.broadwaybank.com
*. Texas Capital Bank (Nasdaq: TCBI )
Offers corporate and private banking, as well as personal finance services.
www.texascapitalbank.com
*. Amarillo National Bank
Provides financial information online, including regional economic data. Learn moreabout ANB's new check card system.
www.anb.com
*. Southside Bank (Nasdaq: SBSI )
www.southside.com
*. American State Bank
Providing banking servicesto West Texas since 1948.
www.asbonline.com
*. BankDirect
Open accounts online, paybills, check interest rates, etc.
www.bankdirect.com
*. Farm Credit Bank of Texas
Provider of long term loans for farms, ranches, and country homes to buy,refinance or improve.
www.farmcreditbank.com
*. American Bank
Independent financial institution serving the Corpus Christi Bay Area.
www.americanbank.com
*. Alliance Bank
Independently owned community bank dedicated to providing the best service to our customers and promoting economic growth in the communities the bank serves.
www.alliancebank.com
*. Franklin Bank
Providing community financial services to individuals and businesses.
www.bankfranklin.com
*. American Bank of Commerce
www.theabcbank.com
*. Southwest Bank of Texas
Specializes in private banking for individuals and commercial lending for growing companies.
www.swbanktx.com
*. City Bank
Banking, insurance, and mortgage services.
www.citybankonline.com *. American National Bank
Locally-owned and operated full service bank.
www.amnat.com
*. Moody National Bank
Serving the Texas area for over 90 years
www.moodybank.com
*. Klein Bank
serving Northwest Houston communities in Harris County and Montgomery County.
www.kleinbank.com
*. State National Bank of WestTexas
www.statenationalbank.com
*. City National Bank
www.cnbt.com/ *. Del Rio Bank and Trust
Learn how we can help your business connect withMexican trade.
www.thebankandtrust.com/
*. Citizens National Bank
Community bank in East Texas.
www.cnbtexas.com
*. City National Bank
East Texas financial institution serving individuals and businesses. Our web site lists our products and services.
www.citynationalbank.com
*. First Victoria National Bank
www.fvnb.com
*. Brenham National Bank
Checking, loans, credit cards, ATM cards, investment Services, student loans and more.
www.bnbank.com
*. La Grange State Bank
www.lonestarbank.com
*. Texas Bank
Homeowned bank offeringchecking, savings, trust services and a variety of financial services.
www.txbank.com
*. Brady National Bank
www.bradynationalbank.com
*. Bank of the West
Independent bank specializing in small business loans.
www.bnkwest.com
*. Citizens State Bank
serving the Tyler, Chandler/Lake Palestine and Brownsboro areas.
www.mybankcsb.com
*. First Community Bank, N.A.
Offers individual and commercial accounts. Online banking available.
www.firstcommunitybank.net
*. Citizens State Bank of Somerville Texas
www.csbtx.com
*. North Dallas Bank & Trust
Providing personal and commercial services.
www.ndbt.com
*. Wallis State Bank
Has been serving residents, businesses, and farmers for over 90 years utilizing the latest technology combined withpersonalized service.
www.wallisbank.com
*. Texas Bank
Serving Brown and Erath Counties.
www.texbank.com
*. Eagle Bank
Locally owned and operated.
www.eagle-bank.com
*. First State Bank
Full service banking to theTexas and Oklahoma panhandles, with locations in Dumas, Dalhart, and Stratford.
www.firstclassbanking.com
*. First Command Bank
Offers personal and business banking services and products along with military and former military families banking facility.
www.firstcommandbank.com
*. Synergy Bank
www.synergybank.com
*. First Texas Bancorp
www.firsttexasbank.com *. Abrams Centre National Bank
www.abramsbank.com
*. Texas First Bank
Locally-owned bank offering nine convenient locations throughout Galveston County.
www.texasfirstbanks.com
*. State Bank of Texas
Offers a full range of business and personal banking services.
www.statebanktx.com
*. Bank of the West - El Paso
Offering full range of services for personal and business customers.
www.botw-ep.com
*. First National Bank in Port Lavaca
Old-fashioned personal service.
www.fnbportlavaca.com
*. Eisenhower National Bank
Providing full bank services and products for the military and DOD civilians.
www.enbank.com
*. Schwertner State Bank
Offering full account access over the Internet.
www.txloanstar.com
*. First Bank Of Conroe
www.fboc.com
*. Heritage National Bank
Offers home banking, deposit accounts, debit cards, and competitive rates on home mortgages, credit cards, and personal and commercial loans.
www.heritagenationalbank.com
*. First National Bank of Bellville
An independent, full service commercial bank.
www.fnbbellville.com
*. Jefferson State Bank
www.jeffersonstatebank.com
*. Security Bank
With online banking.
www.security-bank.com

List of banks in Georgia

*. Columbus Bank and Trust Company
Full service bank and affiliate of the Synovus Financial Corp. Features military banking services atFort Benning.
www.columbusbankandtrust.com
*. Athens First Bank
A full service bank.
www.athensfirstbank.com
*. Georgia Bank & Trust
Offers online banking services.
www.georgiabankandtrust.com
*. Georgia State Bank
www.geobank.com
*. First Clayton Bank & Trust
www.firstclayton.com
*. People's Bank & Trust
www.peoplesbanktrust.com
*. First State Bank and Trust
Full service bank.
www.fsbtc.com
*. Bank of Upson
www.bankofupson.com
*. Quantum National Bank
Community bank to serve your needs with quality service and a strong commitment for long-termcustomer relationship.
www.quantumbank.com
*. West Georgia National Bank
www.wgnb.com
*. Commercial Bank and Trust Company
With branch locations providing personal and business banking services.
www.combanktrust.com
*. Cohutta Banking Company
A full service bank.
www.cohuttabank.com
*. Douglas County Bank
www.dcbank.com
*. Thomasville National Bank
Offering a variety of personal and on-line banking services. Includesannual report and service and contact information.
www.tnbank.com
*. Citizens First Bank
www.citizensfirst-rome.com
*. Citizens Bank of Washington County
www.cbwc.com
*. Bank of Coweta
Serving the Newnan and Coweta County area of West Georgia.
www.bankofcoweta.com
*. Security Bank and Trust Company
Full service bank.
www.securitybank-albany.com
*. First Bank of Dalton
Locally owned and managed community bankwith online services avaialable.
www.firstbankofdalton.Com *. Georgia Bank & Trust
Provides a range of financial products and services.
www.gbtcalhoun.com
*. Bank of Hazlehurst
Offers a full range of financial products and services.
www.bankofhazlehurst.com
*. Century Bank of Bartow County
Offers personal and business banking services.
www.centurybanknet.com
*. Community Trust Bank
www.communitytrustbank.com
*. National Bank of Walton County
www.nbwc.com
*. Fidelity National (Nasdaq: LION )
Provides a range of banking, mortgage, and investment brokerage services at locations throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area.
www.fidelitynational.com
*. Savannah Bank
Provides commercial and private banking services, including mortgage, loan, and trust services.
www.savannahbank.com
*. Live Oak Bank
Specializes in financial services for veterinary and dental practices.
www.liveoakbank.com
*. Planters and Citizens Bank
Offers online banking, cash management, loans, and more for local individuals and businesses.
www.pcbankonline.com
*. Mount Vernon Bank
www.mvbankonline.com
*. First Bank of Coastal Georgia
www.firstbankofcg.com
*. Bank of LaFayette, The
Offers loans, online banking, IRAs, and more.
www.bankoflafayette.com
*. First Community Bank of Tifton
Affiliate of the Synovus family of companies.
www.firstcommunbanktifton.com
*. Sumter Bank & Trust
Provides personal, business, and electronic services.
www.sumterbank.com
*. First Federal Savings Bank of LaGrange
Offers a variety of personaland business banking services.
www.flagbank.com
*. Citizens Bank
www.citizensbankusa.com
*. Peachtree National Bank
www.pchnb.com
*. First Georgia Bank
Includes information on commercial banking, savings accounts, and more.
www.firstgeorgiabank.com
*. Farmers and Merchants Bank
Offering Internet banking and community bank services.
www.fmb-online.com
*. First Newton Bank
www.firstnewtonbank.com *. Union County Bank
www.unioncountybank.com
*. White County Bank
www.whitecountybank.com
*. First Bank of Habershaw
www.firstbankofhabersham.com
*. Towns County Bank
www.townscountybank.com
*. United Community Bank ofLumpkin County
www.ucblumpkincounty.com
*. Citizens Union Bank
Locally owned community bank.
www.citunionbk.com
*. Habersham Bancorp
Offers personal financial services at locations througout Georgia.
www.habcorp.com
*. Bank of North Georgia
Offering banking for businesses, individuals, and electronic banking.
www.banknorthgeorgia.com

list of banks in New York city

*. Chase Manhattan Bank Thelargest banking company in the United States
*. Bank of New York A full service bank offering a fullrange of banking and other financial services to corporations businesses and individuals worldwide. The first bank chartered in New York
*. M & T Bank Regional bankoffers personal and business banking services operating more than 650 branches across NY PA MDVA WV and DC
*. ABN AMRO Bank Provides universal banking services to corporate nationally andinternationally operating clients as well as personal and private banking customers. ABN AMRO hasa presence in 74 countries and territories
*. HSBC Bank USA New York-based corporate bankprovides a wide range of financial services to consumers and businesses
*. Hudson River Bancorp Inc. Savings and loan holding company with subsidiary which performs savings bank operations and mortgage banking services
*. Five Star Bank Western and central New York bank providing business and personal banking services. Includes products offered locations and hours and rate calculators
*. Queens County Savings Bank A full service community bank serving the financial needs of Queens New York
*. CFS Bank Provides personal and commercial banking through supermarket branches throughtout the greater New York area.
*. Ridgewood Bank Community bank provides personal services through branches in Queens Brooklyn and Nassau New York
*. Union State Bank A full service commercial bank with banking offices located in Rockland and Westchester counties in New York
*. HSBC Bank USA New York State regional bank and principal subsidiary of HSBC USA Inc
*. State Bank of Long Island Providing banking servicesfor commercial municipal and personal customers
*. The Astoria Federal Savings Bank Mortgage home equity small business banking
*. Provident Bank Offers personal and business banking from 27 full-service offices throughout Rockland Orange Ulster and Sullivan Counties New York
*. Bank of Baroda USA - NY Branch Offers a full range of financial products and personal banking services. Provides trade finance fund transfer NRI services and loan facilities for business
*. Habib American Bank Community bank specializing in trade finance and meeting the banking needs of small businesses
*. Long Island Commercial Bank Provides commercial and consumer banking to communities in Nassau andSuffolk counties
*. Northfield Savings Bank Staten Island bank offers checking direct deposit mortgage loans and internet banking
*. Elmira Savings Bank FSB (The) Performs savings andloan operations and other related financial activities. (Nasdaq: ESBK)
*. Hudson Valley Bank Provides banking services to individuals businesses and professionals
*. First National Bank A locally-owned and managed community bankserving the Sullivan County/Catskills region of New York State
*. Wilber National Bank Providing high-quality customer service and innovative products throughout upstate New York
*. PathFinder Bank Offers a full array of financial products and services to area residents in Oswego
*. The First National Bank of Long Island Community bank with branches located in Nassau and Suffolk
*. Pioneer Savings Bank Offers a complete range ofpersonal banking services serving the communities ofthe Capital Region of New York
*. Ballston Spa National Bank Community bank with eight locations in Saratoga county
*. Suffolk County National Bank The second largest independent commercial bank headquartered on Long Island New York
*. Seneca Federal Savings and Loan Located in the Central NY area. Includes current rates and service descriptions
*. 1st National Bank of Scotia An independent bank providing personalized service to customers in Scotia New York
*. Bank Audi USA Part of the Lebanese Audi Group providing full-service banking
*. Genesee Regional Bank Provides banking productsand financial services in New York
*. Geddes Federal Savings Provides Syracuse residents with a safe and secure place for their savings along with the ability to borrow money to purchase homes
*. Brooklyn Federal Savings Bank An independent community bank offering complete banking and financial services
*. Evans National Bank Provides personal and commercial banking for Western New York
*. Cattaraugus County Bank An independent community bank CCB\'s main office is located in Little Valley and maintains branch locations in Franklinville Randolph Salamanca and Springville
*. Champlain National Bank Community-owned commercial bank offers financial services to Essex and Clinton counties
*. Flatbush Federal Savings An independent community bank offering complete banking and financial services in Brooklyn New York
*. First National Bank of Dryden A community bankoffering services from two locations in Dryden New York
*. Atlas Savings Bank An independent community bank offering complete banking and financial services in Brooklyn New York
*. European American Bank A full service bank with branches in Elmhurst Flushing Jamaica and South Ozone Park New York

Big banks give $22 billion inmortgage relief under deal

(Reuters) - Five U.S. banks have provided about $22 billion in mortgage relief to customers under a deal to settle borrowers' accusations over foreclosures, a report bythe settlement's monitor saidon Monday.
The report said that Bank of America Corp ( BAC.N ), which owes the most, improved in providing first-lien mortgage modifications to customers, trailing only JPMorgan Chase & Co ( JPM.N ) through September.
Bank of America provided$889.2 million in first-lien modifications that reduced loan balances for consumers, a turnaround from August when the bank had completed none. JPMorgan Chase & Co's ( JPM.N ) total was $903.1 million in modifications, the most of thefive banks.
Monday's report by Joseph Smith, the former North Carolina Banking Commissioner who is serving as the settlement's monitor, said the five banks together have provided about $22 billion in customer relief, up from $10.6 billion in August.
The banks reached the settlement in February with state and federal officials to resolve allegations of faulty foreclosures. The pact requires banks to provide around $20 billion of consumer relief by taking actions such as reducing loanbalances for struggling borrowers and refinancing loans for customers whose homes are worth less than the value of their mortgages.
The banks, however, have not necessarily met their obligations yet because the settlement only provides for partial credit for certain kinds of relief. The banks only receive credit for $0.45 of every dollar of a writedown through a short sale, for example.
Short sales - in which borrowers sell their homes for less than the value of the mortgage - accounted for the largest portion of the total relief, about $13.1 billion.
Bank of America delivered$11.8 billion in total relief to consumers, the most of any bank, with short sales accounting for $7.4 billion ofits total. JPMorgan provided the second most relief - about $6 billion.
The other banks in the settlement are Wells Fargo &Co ( WFC.N ) ($2.5 billion in total relief), Citigroup Inc ( C.N ) ($1.1 billion) and Ally Financial Inc ($587.8 million).
"The relief the banks have reported is encouraging," Smith said in a statement, while noting that the banks' obligations still need to be reviewed and credited.
If a lender does not meet its required relief within three years, it will be required to pay a penalty of no less than 125 percent of its unmet commitment, the report said.
Bank of America, which acquired troubled lender Countywide Financial in 2008, owes the most out of five banks, about $11.8 billion in consumer relief and other payments. The bank has said it will meet its obligations within the first year. >

JPMorgan, Credit Suisse paying $417million in SEC case

WASHINGTON -- JPMorgan Chase and Credit Suisse have agreedto pay a combined $417 million to settle federal civil charges of deceiving investors through sales of risky mortgage bonds ahead of the 2008 financial crisis.
The Securities and Exchange Commission saysJP Morgan failed to tell investors that mortgages tied to the bonds were delinquent. And both banks failed to properly disclose practices that allowed them to profit while investors lost millions.
JPMorgan is paying$296.9 million. Credit Suisse will pay $120 million. The money will go to the investors, the SEC said.

Goldman Sachs to wind down South Korea asset management unit

US based investment banking and securities firm Goldman Sachs Group is considering to shut down its South Korean asset management unit in the nextsix months.
A London-based spokesman for Goldman Sachs Asset Management Niklas Ekholm said in a statement, "Our expectations for the local Korean asset management business have not been met."
The bank, which launched its asset management business five years ago, said that severe competition and dominance of local companies have reduced theprofit margins in the country.
Approximately 40 members currently employed at the Korean unit may be absorbed in other divisions of the firm, according to the company's Hong Kong-based spokesman.
The bank will continue offering funds to Korean investors.
The Korean asset management unit has nearly$4bn under management, most of which are from institutional investors.

Morgan Stanley has sued a former employee

US financial firm Morgan Stanley has sued a former employee convicted for insider trading scheme in order to recover $33m, which it claims to have paid to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to settle the civil case associated with the fraudulent activities.
The lender has filed a case with the Manhattan federal court, and sought recovery of the amount from the ex-FrontPoint Partners hedge fund manager Joseph"Chip" Skowron, reported Reuters.
Additionally, the bank sought for unspecified compensation and punitive damages.
In August 2008, Skowron acknowledged of being guilty for trading the stock ofHuman Genome Sciences after receiving non-public information from the biotech company's consultant.
The bank in the complaint claimed that it defended themanager based on the facts provided by the accused that he had not breached the regulation.
The US bank, which purchased FrontPoint in 2006, wanted to recover approximately $45m from the hedge fund manager, but in a March ruling, a judge said that it cannot recover the payment made to the SEC.
Instead, Skowron was ordered to pay $10.2m as compensation to the bank.

AIG keen to sell bank, expand in mortgages: CEO

HONG KONG (Reuters) - American International Group Inc is planning to sell its savings and loan business as soon as a federal panel labels the insurance giant"too big to fail," its chief executive said on Monday.
But even without a banking business, AIG is now lookingmore aggressively at making and purchasing mortgages asinvestment vehicles, Chief Executive Officer Bob Benmosche said in a telephone interview from Tokyo.
AIG, which received $182.5 billion in bailout money fromU.S. taxpayers at the height of the financial crisis four years ago, has been working to repay the government and regain its credibility ever since.
AIG is regulated by the Federal Reserve because it has a savings and loan business. But even without it,the insurer is likely to come under permanent Fed oversight anyway as a"systemically important financial institution ," or SIFI.Those designations have not been made yet, but AIG has said all along it is certain to receive one.
Benmosche said of the S&L,"we are planning to close it down. It's a business that doesn't makes sense to be in."
He said he would wait to sellthe unit so there would be no break in regulatory oversight. He declined to discuss how much the sale might fetch, but he said the business had less than $1 billion of assets.
Having the Fed oversee AIG's liquidity and capital structure is strategically important because it establishes credibility, said Benmosche , who was in Japan overseeing a rebranding effort.
Benmosche said he did not know when AIG would receive the SIFI label.
"We're exploring a sale, we're exploring turning it into a trust vehicle rather than a savings institution withdeposits. We're looking at a whole bunch of options," he said.
AIG has spoken to banks as potential purchasers and hired lawyers, Benmosche said.
MORTGAGE EXPANSION
Even as it looks to sell off thebank, though, one place AIGis bulking up is in mortgages . The company's mortgage insurer, UGC, has become unexpectedly strong in recent years as competitors have faltered due to crisis-era losses.
But Benmosche said AIG would like to go even deeper than just insuring home loans.
"We are also now looking at ways we could become direct investors in mortgages," he said. "We aregoing to do more of our owndirect lending, both commercially and residentially."
AIG's motivation is the same as for many insurers in this persistently low interest rate environment -- yield. With fixed income portfolios struggling, insurers are hungry for even a few extra basis points of relatively safe return.
Benmosche said "it makes a big deal" at the current low rates to get that little bit of extra yield by buying mortgages directly, which is why he said AIG is talking tobig banks about buying theirnon-agency mortgage debt.
DEBT REDUCTION
The CEO, credited with turning AIG around from a battered company in the midst of a fire sale of assets, has been active in the media,talking up AIG's prospects after a November 1 earnings report that some analysts found disappointing.
Shares are down nearly 10 percent since, with most of that drop coming after the company said it would ease up on buybacks in favor of using its capital to manage itsdebt load.
One way AIG might manage that debt is with the sale of ILFC , its aircraft leasing business. The company filed for an IPO of ILFC in the fall of 2011, but progress has been stymied by weak markets. Benmosche said Monday the sale would haveto wait until circumstances improved.
"The main thing is we feel we should try to get to a 51 percent sale such that we can deconsolidate the debt from AIG, so that's a target that we have, but we will have to see how it goes," he said. "We are looking for a major launch that gets us more than halfway there."
With the debt under control,and buybacks essentially completed, AIG has talked about the possibility of paying a dividend as soon asnext year.
"There's several things we could be doing and we are still exploring all of those possibilities," Benmosche said.

Vikram Pandit to receive$15m from Citigroup

Former Citigroup chief executive Vikram Pandit, who stood down last month, will get more than $15m (£9.4m) as part of a settlement with the banking giant.
John Havens, the chief operating officer who resigned at the same time, will receive a similar amount.
The payments were disclosed in filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission late on Friday.
At the time of the resignations there were reports of disagreements with investors over Citi's strategy.
Mr Pandit's payments include $6.65m for incentivepay for work in 2012 and deferred stock and cash incentive awards valued at$8.83m.
Mr Havens' payments include $6.79m for 2012 and $8.73m worth of deferred stock and cash incentive awards for work in 2011 and 2008.
"Vikram and John made significant contributions to Citi during their five years of service," Citigroup chairman Michael O'Neill said in statement included in the filing.
Mr Pandit resigned on 15 October, a day after Citi reported an 88% drop in quarterly profits to $468m.
In a conference call at the time, Citi chairman Michael O'Neill said Mr Pandit's departure was not due to any "strategic, regulatory or operating issue".
He added: "Vikram offered his resignation and the board accepted it."

Goldman in settlement talks with U.S. over trading loss

(Reuters) - Goldman Sachs Group Inc is in settlement talks with the U.S. government over an $8.3 billion position that one of the investment bank's traders had concealed five years ago, according to a published report.
The Financial Times said a settlement with the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission , which regulatesU.S. futures and options markets, is expected in the coming weeks, citing two sources familiar with the plans.
Goldman declined to comment and the CFTC could not be reached for comment.
The planned settlement follows Thursday's announcement from the regulator that accused ex-Goldman trader Matthew Marshall Taylor of hiding a large position in S&P 500 e-mini futures contracts. Taylor has denied the accusations, his lawyer said on Thursday.