Financial Roundup: $15 Billion More to Banks, NY Fed Boosts Mortgages, MasterCard Buys Tech Firm, Nasdaq Sets Up Derivative Clearinghouse

(MoneyWatch)  Treasury invests $15 billion more in banks -- Seven banks, including two involved in takeovers, are recepients of $15 billion in funds from the federal government. Included are PNC Financial Services Group, which is taking over National City Corp., Fifth Third Bancorp, which is buying Freedom Bank, CIT Group, SunTrust Banks and three smaller banks. [Source: CnnMoney.com]
New York Fed to help mortgages -- The regional Fed plans to spend $500 billion buying securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The goal is to help drive down mortgage rates and spark more home buying. [Source: Ft.com]

MasterCard buys tech firm -- The major credit card issuer is buying Orbiscom, Ltd., a Dublin-based software company for $100 million. The tech firm offers products that give customers more control over their card usage, such as creating one-time account numbers customers can use to protect themselves during on-line purchases. [Source: American Banker]

Nasdaq opens clearinghouse -- Nasdaq is joining the wave of new clearinghouses for financial derivatives. The stock market bought an 80 percent of International Derivatives Clearinghouse to clear and bring more transparency to over-the-counter derivatives trading. [Source: The Wall Street Journal]
Georgia bank boosts loss fund -- Synovus, Georgia's second-largest bank, is expected to set aside $350 million to cover potential loan losses. News of the fund prompted a 13 percent drop in its stock prices. [Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution]