Underwriting

Home BancShares in Arkansas would rather buy banks that meet its financial parameters than do one large deal to catapult over $10 billion in assets. The bank also spent most of this year idling with M&A so it could prepare for stress testing.

Moody's Corp. said federal officials are planning a lawsuit over its ratings of residential mortgage securities that critics contend were inflated to win business in the years leading up to the 2008 financial crisis.

In a move designed to help further calm lender fears about mortgage repurchase liability, Fannie Mae is preparing to offer immediate representation and warranty relief to lenders that use its suite of automated quality assurance technology.

ClosingCorp has rebranded its Loan Estimate and Good Faith Estimate products as a single service, SmartFees.

Rates for the 30-year conforming fixed-rate mortgage rose above 3.5% for the first-time since before the Brexit vote, according to Freddie Mac.

Stewart Information Services Corp. is reshaping its board by adding three independent directors and its CEO to the panel as part of a settlement with its biggest shareholder, activist investor Starboard Value.

Refinance activity grew modestly in September, according to a report from Ellie Mae.

Lenders asking whether bank loans are safe are missing the point and should instead be more concerned with the standard they apply when underwriting them.

The Internal Revenue Service's indefinite delay of a deadline for a new authentication procedure has headed off concerns about potential interruptions in mortgage production.

Mortgage applications increased 0.6% from one week earlier as rates rose 5 basis points on 30-year conforming and jumbo loans, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.