Politics

A new Basel III proposal offers mixed results for warehouse lending, with some risk-weight relief for banks but tougher terms that could crimp credit availability for nonbank mortgage lenders.

The White House's proposed 2027 budget would slash funding to the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, the latest in an ongoing campaign from the Trump administration to dismantle the politically popular program.

Lawsuits and probes are ramping up, and some courts have broadened the lending law's statute of limitations, said Bradley Partner Jonathan Kolodziej.

The 30-year fixed rate climbed to 6.46% this week, its highest mark since September, as mortgage applications fell 10.4% and sellers outnumber buyers by a record 46%.

Banks have a lot to celebrate in the operational risk framework, but advocates warn it cuts capital too far.

The Department of Justice is seeking court approval to immediately fire more than 600 employees, slashing the CFPB's workforce by 53%.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank is cautiously monitoring consumer sentiment as tensions from the Iran war push energy prices higher, complicating efforts to bring inflation down to the Fed's target.

A section of Trump's executive order on mortgage credit called for eliminating requirements for loan officer registration, a process industry experts say has never been considered a burden.

Two former members of the Federal Open Market Committee said in interviews that they expect the Federal Reserve to keep rates steady amid uncertainty over the ongoing war with Iran and the resulting upward pressure on inflation.

In three separate appearances Thursday, Fed Gov. Lisa Cook, Gov. Michael Barr and Vice Chair Philip Jefferson said they are worried that U.S. involvement in the war with Iran could drive up inflation, leading them to conclude that interest rates should remain steady in the near term.

New questions about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's guarantee by experts who saw conservatorship start points to tensions in a stalled secondary offering.

The 30-year fixed mortgage has increased by 40 basis points since February, while the 15-year is 14 basis points lower than a year ago, Freddie Mac reported.

A recent executive order encouraging changes to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Ability-To-Repay and Qualified Mortgage rules are adding to a packed agenda at a time when the agency has lost a third of its staff.

Some lenders and condo market stakeholders are raising concerns that new GSE rules ending limited reviews and tightening reserve requirements could raise costs.

What was once a bipartisan and broadly popular housing bill has been weighed down with a pair of provisions that banks can't support. Even with those headwinds, the bill is more likely than not to pass, but not without drawn-out negotiations between the House and Senate.

Federal Reserve Gov. Michael Barr said in a speech Tuesday afternoon that he wants to see a durable and reliable reduction in consumer price inflation before he considers cutting the central bank's interest rates.

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley repeated his long-standing criticism of Fair Isaac Corp. in a letter noting the detrimental impact of its prices on home buyers.

The new executive order could add lender competition for self-employed borrowers, potentially via a small loan carveout and one for portfolio products.

The FHFA's ACV condo insurance rollback gets the balance right between affordability and safety, even if politics muddied the waters, the chairman of Whalen Global Advisors writes.

Federal Reserve Gov. Stephen Miran said it is too early to judge how U.S. involvement in the war with Iran will affect inflation and monetary policy.