Banking

A slowdown in the increase of loans exiting forbearance “implies that those who were able to absorb the shock of the pandemic and get back on their feet, may have already done so,” said Andy Walden, Black Knight economist.

The largest U.S. shopping center became delinquent on its debt last year after its owner Triple Five Group began skipping mortgage payments, citing hardships from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A panel appointed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Congress should consider authorizing the bureau — and not the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency — to issue federal charters to fintech companies.

While the balance of newly delinquent loans fell by 50% from November, the ratings agency warned that many borrowers will likely struggle to bring loans current under ongoing pandemic conditions.

The CFPB issued two rulemakings in 2020 that the financial services industry and consumer advocates hoped would finally clarify key issues over how collectors contact debtors and deal with legacy debts. But both sides want the incoming Biden administration to make further changes.

The recent stimulus law’s relief for renters and extension of the federal eviction ban were meant to ward off a housing crisis. But owners of 1- to 4-unit dwellings still face mounting mortgage and property tax debts, and delinquencies could start rising soon — followed by foreclosures.

Reports indicate distressed owners would rather surrender their hotel or retail properties instead of negotiate workouts on delinquent loans as the pandemic spread carries on.

With limited plan removals due to the holidays, mortgages in coronavirus-related forbearance rose by 15,000, according to Black Knight.

The river of red ink will likely begin to flow in the new year, due not only to the pandemic itself, but also to longer-term secular trends that have been accelerated by COVID-induced changes in the economy, says DebtX President and CEO Kingsley Greenland.

About 4,400 loans started the foreclosure process in November, alongside 176,000 mortgages in active foreclosure.

Join Jim McKelvey, co-founder of Square as he offers his insights into where the Fintech industry is headed next year. Will a Biden administration insist on greater regulation? What will happen in the cryptocurrency markets? What will be the big IPOs in the sector? Will GooglePlex make a big splash? What new technologies or applications should we be expecting?

Demand for home purchases and car loans would need to increase substantially to make up for what's expected to be a sharp drop in refinancing revenue.

The new bill ordering $600 stimulus checks and $25 billion in emergency rental assistance won't be enough to help millions of Americans struggling to make housing payments, according to industry watchers.

The agency's rule outlines steps collectors must take to inform consumers about an outstanding debt, and prohibits companies from pursuing lawsuits after a statute of limitations has ended.

Bank and credit union groups are pushing to include the industry’s front-line workers in the next priority group, but even as a recommendation is coming soon from a CDC advisory panel, the decision ultimately will be made state by state.

With infection rates rising and unemployment claims increasing since Thanksgiving, mortgages in coronavirus-related forbearance rose by 37,000 last week, according to Black Knight.

The boom continues, with refinances making up a 61% share of all mortgage loans issued that month, according to Ellie Mae.

Noninterest income has bolstered profits this year. But its growth is expected to slow over the next two years, making for a gloomy earnings outlook unless vaccine distributions and the economic recovery are relatively swift.

The percentage of seriously delinquent loans hit 5.8% in the third quarter, up from 1.5% a year earlier but down from 6.8% in the second quarter.

The largest concerns are with pandemic risk and defaults, along with business resilience and adaptability, according to a Wolters Kluwer survey.