Fannie Mae

Many have assumed the high court would rule that presidents can fire the Federal Housing Finance Agency director at will. But during oral arguments in a case challenging the agency’s structure, some justices suggested they could stop short of such a decision.

The average per-loan profit margin remains incredibly strong, but the share of senior executives expecting it to fall has risen markedly.

Fannie hasn't completed any credit risk transfers to private investors since the second quarter. Some experts worry the decision — likely spurred by the company’s concerns about a recent capital regulation — could put the mortgage giant on unsteady footing.

President Trump is running out of time to do what hedge funds and other investment firms with big ownership stakes in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have wanted since he took office: put the mortgage giants on a path to exiting government control.

The Mortgage Bankers Association sees rates rising over the next two years, while Fannie Mae expects the average to remain under 3%.

There have been several extensions of the policy since it was put into place as a way to sustain originations amid a wave of forbearance allocated to borrowers with government-related loans.

The sector’s leaders are hoping for better in 2021, while not forgetting lessons learned about the market’s risks in 2020.

The forbearance rate continued recovering in lockstep with employment improvement, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The former FDIC chief oversaw the resolution of hundreds of failed banks during the financial crisis and knows how to build relationships with regulators. Those skills could be crucial in helping Fannie exit federal control.

A number of unknowns about the election and the coronavirus response kept consumer confidence in check, according to Fannie Mae.