ARI SHAPIRO, host: NPR's business news starts with the sale of Countrywide.</s>ARI SHAPIRO, host: The nation's largest mortgage lender could soon end its nearly 40-year run as an independent company. Countrywide's shareholders yesterday voted to sell their company to Bank of America for $2.7 billion. Bank of America will inherit a host of lawsuits against Countrywide, which has become a symbol of the aggressive loan marketing that led to the housing crises.</s>ARI SHAPIRO, host: Yesterday, the states of Illinois and California filed the latest suits against the company. They charged the mortgage lender with deceptive marketing.
Co-host Ari Shapiro has this morning's business news.