MBS

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.

The launch of a combined securitization platform for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is meant to ease the transition to a new housing finance system. But questions remain about how the mortgage sphere will adapt to the single security.

The investment research firm plans to merge DBRS' ratings business with its existing Morningstar Credit Ratings Service.

Prepayments tied to repeated VA loan refinancing activity have had an adverse effect on Ginnie’s mortgage securities that persists despite countermeasures. The government bond issuer is making new plans to address the impact.

Issuance of mortgage-backed securities increased and came close to matching 2018 levels in the latest month tracked by Ginnie Mae.

The Government Accountability Office called on Ginnie Mae to undertake four reforms to its operations, citing concerns regarding the ongoing shift in size and capitalization of mortgage-backed securities issuers.

Investors can now exchange certain existing Freddie Mac bonds for to-be-announced uniform mortgage-backed securities in preparation for the full launch of UMBS next month.

Alarmed about continued high nonmarket-based prepayment rates, Ginnie Mae is requesting input from lenders on how to make the mortgage-backed securities it guarantees fairer to investors without hurting borrowers.

HomeStreet Bank could receive nearly $190 million in total for selling $14 billion in mortgage servicing rights to New Residential and PennyMac, and selling its home loan centers to Homebridge.

Freddie Mac exchanged existing bonds from its portfolio for mirror certificates for the first time, completing a key test that is central to the creation of a uniform mortgage-backed security.

The Federal Reserve decision to shift into Treasuries could pull rates down and increase the prepayment speeds on mortgage-backed securities.

The 30-year mortgage rate dipped lower than it was 12 months ago for the third week running, according to Freddie Mac's latest report.

The Federal Reserve will roll its maturing holdings of mortgage-backed securities into Treasuries starting after September, capping it at $20 billion per month.

Mark Calabria, who could be confirmed as early as this month, is expected to focus on changes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s conservatorships to let the mortgage giants keep more of their profits.

The new regulation, codifying requirements already in practice, is meant to help the mortgage giants prepare for the adoption of a uniform security in June.

Without the ability to issue unsecured debt nearly as cheaply as U.S. Treasury bonds, Freddie Mac could not afford to repurchase defaulted loans from MBS, Freddie CEO Don Layton said.

Just as the Trump administration appears focused on releasing a framework without Congress, the Senate Banking Committee has re-entered the policy fray with a new proposal.

Ginnie Mae has restricted loanDepot's ability to securitize Veterans Affairs mortgages because of apparent churning of recent originations.

After 10 years of conservatorship, the new year could finally usher in big steps toward housing finance reform.