Fannie and Freddie make USD 66.3 billion payment

The US government says it has received USD 66.3 billion in dividend payments from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, reflecting stronger earnings at the start of the year.
The payments are a key reason the government expects its smallest budget deficit in five years.
Treasury officials say Fannie Mae on Friday paid USD 59.4 billion and Freddie Mac paid USD 7 billion.
The mortgage giants own or guarantee nearly half of all US mortgages. They were taken over by the government at the height of the financial crisis in 2008.
Fannie has now repaid USD 95 billion of the roughly USD 116 billion it received during the crisis, while Freddie has repaid roughly USD 37 billion of the USD 71.3 billion it received.

The dividends in part reflect a stronger housing market.