U.S. thrifts set aside $14 bln for losses in Q2

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. savings and loan industry reported loan loss provisions totaling $14 billion for the second quarter, almost double the amount from the first quarter, the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) said on Wednesday.

Industrywide, the thrifts posted a net loss of $5.4 billion in the quarter, the second-largest on record after the $8.8 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2007. U.S. thrifts posted a $627 million loss in the first quarter.

The OTS also said the number of problem thrifts rose to 17 in the second quarter, from 12 institutions at the end of March. The agency does not identify the troubled institutions.

The OTS, which regulates more than 830 thrifts, said the industry's capital remained solid during the quarter, with more than 98 percent of the industry exceeding the standard for well capitalized.

(Reporting by Karey Wutkowski and Kim Dixon, editing by Maureen Bavdek)