GSEs

Mortgage applications decreased 0.8% for the week ending Oct. 30 according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's weekly survey — an improvement from the 3.5% drop registered the week prior.

Freddie Mac Chief Executive Donald Layton insisted Tuesday that the government-sponsored enterprise showed "very strong fundamentals" in the third quarter, despite reporting a $501 million loss due to an accounting mismatch with its use of derivatives.

Freddie Mac posted a third quarter loss of $501 million, its first quarterly loss in four years, but the government-sponsored enterprise will not request a draw from the U.S. Treasury.

Cherry Hill Mortgage Investment Corp. has purchased its first mortgage servicing rights portfolio, with an aggregate unpaid principal balance of roughly $1.4 billion.

Loan demand and conditions remained largely unchanged in the third quarter, with some easing of credit standards for consumer and auto loans, according to a survey of senior loan officers conducted by the Federal Reserve.

The government-sponsored enterprise is working to rebuild partnerships with church organizations and housing financing agencies as part of a broader effort to make owning a home affordable for low- and moderate-income families.

Deutsche Bank is exiting agency residential mortgage-backed securities trading as part of a larger strategic plan announced Thursday that cuts thousands of positions in numerous business lines worldwide.

The administration apparently intends to leave office without addressing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's capital bases and therefore the tight credit conditions.

The report from independent auditors will likely show that FHA remains below its 2% statutory minimum capital ratio, but HUD officials and outside observers still expect it to show major improvement over last year.

Interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell three basis points during the week ending Oct. 29, as the market increasingly expects the Federal Reserve to hold off on raising rates, according to Freddie Mac.

Radian Group's private mortgage insurance subsidiary pulled back from certain pricing discounts that have driven competition in recent months in that business.

Freddie Mac is preparing its fourth offering of bonds offloading exposure to actual losses on mortgages that it ensures, according to Fitch Ratings.

Rep. Paul Ryan’s expected election as House Speaker this week may ultimately prove a boon for the banking industry — especially for critics of the Dodd-Frank Act and the current mortgage finance system.

Genworth Financial agreed to sell a European mortgage insurance operation to AmTrust Financial Services Inc. as CEO Tom McInerney divests assets to bolster capital amid tighter regulation on companies that back home loans in the U.S.

Legislation would require GAO to study the impact the FHFA membership rule would have on the FHLB System and its members.

Housing markets across the U.S. continue to gradually improve, according to Freddie Mac.

Mortgage rates fell this week as investors acted on Federal Reserve Gov. Daniel Tarullo's doubts on an interest rate increase occurring before the end of the year.

Home prices rose in August as low borrowing costs and sustained job growth fueled demand amid a tight inventory of properties on the market.

Both forecasts call for growth in home purchase volume over the next few years, but the decline in refinance originations will be so steep that overall origination volume will decrease.

From thrift deregulation to government domination, the mortgage business is prone to dramatic shifts. Here are 10 people who share the credit, or the blame, for major industry changes.