By Alan Zibel, The Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Freddie Mac says its losses narrowed to US$6.3 billion in the third quarter and the company didn't need a federal cash infusion.

The McLean, Virginia-based mortgage finance company has received about $51 billion since it was seized by federal regulators in September 2008, but avoided tapping the government for more aid for the second-straight quarter.

The quarterly loss, which works out to $1.94 per share, includes $1.3 billion in dividends paid to the Treasury Department.

It compares with a loss of $25 billion, or $19.44 per share, in the year-ago period.

The results were driven by $7.6 billion in credit losses as the company continued to build its reserves for bad mortgages.