GSEs

Prepayment speeds for loans included in agency mortgage-backed securities were up approximately 20% both monthly and annually during May as the decline in interest rates boosted activity, according to Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.

As purchase applications stall in the heart of home buying season despite mortgage rates nearing two-year lows, lenders continued to loosen credit standards in May, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Freddie Mac plans to introduce a mortgage this month that will simultaneously finance the purchase price of the home and improvements that will be completed after closing with a single loan.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has far more authority to upend the status quo than most realize, according to a new report.

A long list of "preparatory steps" means that any potential Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac initial public offerings are at least three to four years away, according to Raymond James.

With the Trump administration appearing willing to shake up Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac without Congress, Reps. Lacy Clay, D-Mo., and Sean Duffy, R-Wis., said legislative action should be a priority.

The assumption that conservatorship can end without significant changes in how the GSEs operate may be the most dangerous one of all.

The consolidation of the two companies' securitization platforms into a single bond market became official on Monday.

There's been chatter about whether the government-sponsored enterprises should be considered systemically important. But supporters must consider that such a designation would put the Fed in charge of their supervision, a step that would do more harm than good.

The head of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s regulator blamed “burdensome” local regulations for a lack of housing supply, and also provided an update on the administration’s plan for GSE reform.