Investments

The unique approach Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are each taking with their credit-risk transfer products is quickly becoming a key point of differentiation that's rekindling competition between the government-sponsored enterprises.

Laurel Davis, VP, credit risk transfer at Fannie Mae, explains why the switch to a REMIC structure for CAS is important, and why it took so long.

The company’s first transaction, Eagle Re 2018-1, transfers a portion of the credit risk on approximately $36.3 billion of mortgages, according to Morningstar Credit Ratings.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac transferred a substantial amount of credit risk to the private sector through both single-family and multifamily market transactions in the first half of the year, with activity expected to rise in 2019, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

New Residential Investment Corp. expects to raise $433 million from a follow-on offering of 25 million shares of its common stock it priced on Nov 1.

When the mortgage giant will be released from government control is anyone's guess, but the company's third-quarter report shows signs of an easier transition.

Earnings at four of the private mortgage insurers increased significantly over last year's third quarter even as total mortgage origination volume shrunk during the same time frame.

Lennar Corp. is selling a portion of its Rialto business to Stone Point Capital for $340 million, adding to Stone Point's holdings in the real estate and financial industries.

Black Knight's third-quarter net earnings were slightly below the same period last year, although total revenue increased by 7% compared with one year prior.

The structure reduces counterparty risk in the GSE's benchmark Connecticut Avenue Securities program; it also expands the investor base.