US mortgage originations seen plunging in 2010-MBA

NEW YORK Jan 12 (Reuters) - U.S. residential mortgage originations will likely plummet 40 percent in 2010 to their lowest in a decade, the industry's main trade group said on Tuesday.

Lenders will underwrite $1.28 trillion in home loans this year, down from $2.11 trillion in 2009, the Mortgage Bankers Association said in its latest forecast. That is the lowest since $1.14 trillion in 2000. (Reporting by Al Yoon; Editing by James Dalgleish)