Investments

The agency plans to conduct a review of how it regulates the 11 Federal Home Loan banks amid concerns that some companies are inappropriately seeking a back door into the Home Loan Bank System.

The Trump administration proposes cutting personnel and other budgetary items at the bureau, while the agency’s director — who controls the purse strings and was hand-picked by the administration — aims to boost spending and hire more employees.

Fidelity and Essent reported higher year-over-year profits in the last three months of 2019 as refinancing increased business volume, but Black Knight took a hit on its Dun & Bradstreet investment.

Freddie Mac saw a decline in net profit in 2019 due to decreased interest rate income, lower amortization revenue and risk-reducing investment costs, but its consecutive-quarter results improved.

First American Financial, a title insurance underwriter and settlement services provider, is acquiring mortgage document firm Docutech for $350 million in cash.

NMI Holdings saw its insurance-in-force grow 38% over the past year as 90% of its clients used its black box pricing module during the fourth quarter.

The Community Preservation Corp. says its inaugural sustainability offering is the single largest bond sale by a community development financial institution.

The administration proposed to end the housing trust funds now financed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and to subject numerous agencies to the congressional appropriations process, among other things.

Simon Property Group agreed to buy rival shopping-mall operator Taubman Centers for about $3.6 billion, a combination that comes as e-commerce continues to roil brick-and-mortar retail.

A city agency that in recent years lost its luster as a place where low-income New Orleanians could go for low-interest mortgages is set to re-emerge as a key player in plans to develop more affordable housing in the city.

Ocwen Financial Corp. is on track to become profitable on a pretax basis by the third quarter without any special items enhancing earnings, according to a preliminary release of its fourth-quarter results.

The strong refinance market in the fourth quarter propelled earnings at three different mortgage-related business that also were dealing with merger and acquisition activity during and after the period.

The U.S. mortgage insurance business remained a bright spot for Genworth Financial, as fourth quarter adjusted operating income increased 29% and new insurance written rose nearly 95% over the prior year.

A booming housing market coupled with low interest rates helped M/I Homes report record results for 2019.

Mortgage refinancings made up slightly under one-third of MGIC Investment Corp.'s new insurance written during the fourth quarter, contributing a significant percentage of its business.

A 10-basis-point year-over-year increase in gross margin on loans sold, along with a nearly 30% increase in origination volume, helped Waterstone Mortgage turn around its fourth-quarter results.

Flasgstar Bancorp's mixed results in its fourth-quarter earnings report are a sign strategic shifts it made to make its earnings less volatile are working.

Bank of America's fourth-quarter mortgage origination volume more than doubled on a year-over-year basis, a faster pace of growth than two of its national banking peers.

Fannie Mae is sponsoring a $1.03B CRT transaction, while Caliber Homes Loans, New Residential and Onslow Bay fill the non-QM pipeline

Fourth quarter gain on sale margin moved in opposite directions at two of the nation's largest banks, falling 9% quarter-over-quarter at JPMorgan Chase, but increasing 25% at Wells Fargo.