MSR

Independent mortgage bankers reported their highest average profit per loan originated in almost three years, benefiting from a large drop in production expenses, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Wide short-term swings in interest rates — and loan prepayments — that we've all witnessed have serious secondary effects on consumers, lenders, investors and also policymakers.

With long-term interest rates at historic lows, mortgage refinancing is coming on strong. But that additional revenue may not be enough to offset net interest margin pressures and lost servicing income.

An $8 billion mortgage servicing rights package consisting of newly originated conforming loans is up for bid, according to broker Incenter Mortgage Advisors.

Lower interest rates and improved gain-on-sale margins helped Impac Mortgage Holdings record its first profitable three-month period since the first quarter of 2018.

Freedom Mortgage's planned purchase of J.G. Wentworth Home Lending would add 570 employees and 35 offices across 46 licensed states and increase the acquirer's servicing portfolio by $6 billion.

Mr. Cooper Group reported a second-quarter net loss of $87 million as the company took a $231 million fair value hit to its mortgage servicing rights portfolio.

New Residential Investment Corp. took a $32 million net loss in the second quarter as it diversified its business lines and repositioned to protect its mortgage servicing rights from falling rates.

Removing Federal Housing Administration-insured mortgages with natural-disaster forbearance from the agency's delinquency tracking database would give investors a less-distorted view of loan performance, according to the Community Home Lenders Association.

MGIC reported higher-than-expected earnings, seen as a positive for the other mortgage insurers, plus Flagstar and KeyCorp had strong quarters for their mortgage businesses.