Investments

Homebuilders are sinking — and blame that on disappointing economic data and earnings reports that trailed estimates.

Nonbank mortgage-backed securities servicers increase their exposure to agency loans as the housing market distances itself from last decade's crash, according to Fitch Ratings.

The Internal Revenue Service's settlement with Radian Group may result in a $74 million tax benefit for the mortgage insurer that could improve its second-quarter results.

Oaktown Re II is National Mortgage Insurance's first rated transaction, according to Morningstar; it reinsures $5.47 billion of policies on mortgages with a total balance of $30.12 billion.

Continued favorable loss development trends allowed MGIC Investment Corp. to beat analyst estimates for the second-quarter earnings report.

A new round of expense reductions is getting underway at Nationstar Mortgage as the company moves toward its acquisition by WMIH Corp., a shell company holding Washington Mutual legacy businesses.

Unusually for a debut transaction, the $329.7 million M360 2018-CRE1 will be actively managed: For the first 12 months after the closing date, funds from repaid principal can be used to purchase new loans, subject to eligibility criteria.

This year's sluggish spring home buying season led to generally softer mortgage-related second quarter results at Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and PNC Financial Services Group, but First Republic Bank bucked the trend.

Public builder Beazer Homes USA plans to buy privately held Venture Homes for $65 million in a move that could make mortgage lending in Atlanta more competitive.

A Fannie Mae test to handle the private mortgage insurance process for lenders may raise concerns that it's going outside the scope of its secondary market mission. But the effort reflects its mandate to explore new credit-risk transfer alternatives, a company executive said.

Banks could shed as much as 20 million square feet of office space over the next five years as they shift many functions to high-tech operations centers in markets with cheaper rents.

With better-than-expected performance of the underlying mortgages, Fitch Ratings cut its loss projections for seasoned government-sponsored enterprise credit risk transfer deals.

The shareholders of Nationstar Mortgage Holdings and WMIH Corp. each voted to approve a $1.9 billion acquisition plan that will see the parent company of nonbank lender and servicer Mr. Cooper combine with the successor to S&L and subprime mortgage lender Washington Mutual.

Ditech Holding Corp. is considering selling itself, just over four months after the lender emerged from bankruptcy protection.

New securitizations backed by reverse mortgages are now at a low not seen in two years, signaling that higher volumes seen in recent months may be tapering off.

The Fed’s rate hike and its signal of two more increases to come this year will only add to investors’ worry that the U.S. housing market is getting too expensive.

Freddie Mac hit the $1 trillion mark on credit risk sharing for single-family mortgage loans with its second lower LTV deal of the year.

Ditech Holding Corp. returned to profitability in the first quarter, benefiting from accounting adjustments related to its emergence from bankruptcy protection in February.

Ocwen Financial Corp.'s Chief Financial Officer Michael Bourque has resigned, becoming the second top executive to leave the company after it agreed to acquire PHH Corp.

Ditech Holding Corp. has received a second notice from the New York Stock Exchange warning its common stock could be delisted for not being in compliance with the exchange's requirements.