GSEs

Many big banks are backing away from the retail channel and FHA lending due to rising compliance costs. But U.S. Bank Home Mortgage President Tom Wind sees an opportunity to leverage those challenges to improve efficiency and transparency.

John Allison, a contender for President-elect Donald Trump's Treasury secretary, is a staunch opponent of the Federal Reserve Board, the Basel international accords, the government's support of the housing finance industry and the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010.

Tom Wind is once again leading a large bank's mortgage operation. As the new president of U.S. Bank Home Mortgage, he's set a course that embraces retail, regulation and the FHA.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency's choice to raise conforming loan limits in 2016 for the first time in a decade is being met with enthusiasm from the mortgage industry, as it should prove to be a positive for future origination volume.

The average for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage this week topped 4% for the first time since 2015 as 10-year Treasury yields continued their post-election climb, according to Freddie Mac.

The maximum baseline conforming loan limit in 2017 is being increased to $424,100 by the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The multifamily lending caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will stay the same as they were in 2016 next year, the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced.

The transition team for President-elect Donald Trump announced a series of names this week for people who will help facilitate an orderly transfer of power at the federal financial regulators.

Tight lending standards resulted in 1.1 million fewer mortgages being originated than if looser requirements were in place, according to the Urban Institute.

If President-elect Donald Trump selects House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling as his Treasury secretary, it would be a clear sign that he intends to embrace a more traditional Republican agenda when it comes to financial services issues.