Bank of America reported a loss of $US9.1 billion ($A8.61 billion) during the second quarter partly due to the $US8.5 billion ($A8.04 billion) settlement with investors who claimed the bank had sold them poor-quality mortgage backed bonds.

That settlement was announced in June.

The reported loss available to common shareholders was 90 US cents per share.

Excluding charges related to investor settlements, Bank of America Corp earned $US3.7 billion ($A3.5 billion), or 33 US cents per share. That compares with net income of $US3.1 billion, or 27 US cents a share in the same quarter last year.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet had forecast Bank of America would report a loss of 85 US cents per share.

Bank of America shares were up 23 US cents in pre-market trading to $US9.95