New figures show the U.S. banks lost $32.1 billion

According to revised figures released on Friday by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation net losses posted by the U.S. banks in the last quarter of 2008 stood for $32.1 billion. The previous release of the agency reported that the national banks posted losses of $26.2 billion in the fourth quarter.

The new data were obtained in the course of “significant amendments” the FDIC received soon after it released its original report last month. According to the FDIC the financial sector’s net income and equity capital figures were heavily impacted by higher non-cash impairment charges in the fourth quarter.

Thus, net income for all of 2008 was revised down from $16.1 billion to $10.2 billion. Meantime, the decrease in the banking industry’s equity capital for the fourth quarter 2008 is now reported at $10.1 billion, up from $3.7 billion. Banks made $575 million in fourth quarter 2007.