Finance

Some commenters on the Federal Housing Finance Agency's request for input about the Federal Home Loan Bank system mission demand more focus on affordable housing while others firmly advocated against member incentive programs.

Last year alone, insurers increased their holdings of residential mortgage loans by a whopping 45%, or about $20 billion, according to an analysis by Ellington Management Group. 

The Charlotte, North Carolina-based bank saw profits and net interest income dip in the second quarter, but made up lost revenue through investment banking fees.

The Pittsburgh-based superregional bank reported a small quarter-over-quarter advance in net interest income, and it expects loan growth to pick up in the second half of the year. PNC, which announced job cuts last year, also said that it has identified an additional $25 million in cost savings.

A Rocket Mortgage securitization is the first private investor deal with a high share of e-notes, and the company is considering use with another loan product type.

Second quarter margins at the three big banks were lower versus three months' prior, missing Keefe, Bruyette & Woods expectations of a flat comparison.

Two days after the megabank was hit with $136 million of fines, Citi executives said they aren't changing the company's full-year expense guidance. Citi has 30 days to submit a plan to regulators showing that the bank has allocated enough resources to achieve compliance in a timely and sustainable manner.

Investment banking fees shot up at the nation's largest bank, thanks to rebounds in M&A and the equity capital markets segment. And despite higher credit costs in the company's card business, a top bank executive expressed confidence in the health of U.S. consumers.

The San Francisco bank's interest expenses continue to rise as depositors switch to higher-yielding options. At the same time, soft loan demand from business customers is putting a lid on how much interest Wells is collecting from borrowers.

Loan data spanning nearly a decade can be matched with other statistics from the influential government-related mortgage buyers to assess performance.