NEW YORK (Reuters) - Freddie Mac (FRE.N: Quote, Profile, Research), the second-biggest provider of U.S. residential mortgage funding, on Thursday said its loss widened more than expected to $2.5 billion in the fourth quarter as the housing crises worsened.

The government-chartered company said the net loss increased from $401 million in the year-earlier period. It is coming off a $2 billion loss for the third quarter.

The company lost $3.97 per share in the fourth quarter. Analysts expected the company would post a fourth-quarter loss of $3.05 per share including special items, according to Reuters Estimates.

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSWNAS284620080228