Goldman Sachs has been dropped as a defendant in the lawsuit filed against giant US mortgage provider Fannie Mae for its role in arranging bonds backed by mortgage-backed securities, which allegedly violated US law.

In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission the bank said: "On November 28, 2006, the plaintiffs in the derivative action voluntarily dismissed the Goldman Sachs defendants without prejudice, subject to an agreement to toll the statute of limitations. Goldman Sachs moved to dismiss the class action claims on November 13."