Politics

The Federal Open Market Committee is expected to lower short-term financing costs in the wake of volatility that has put upward pressure on mortgage rates.

Experts anticipate a pullback in regulatory action and some potential pain for home builders but long-term interest rate impacts are a major question mark.

President Trump initiated changes at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in his first term, and the industry's frustration with the bureau has grown since he left office. But how far a second Trump administration can or will go depends on factors outside the president's control.

Experts anticipate that Trump's victory and expected shifts in regulatory leadership will delay finalizing Biden-era capital rules for large banks, with new officials likely favoring a less stringent Basel III framework and softer capital requirements.

Yields on both 10-year and 2-year Treasurys moved significantly higher after the Trump election victory and that's bad news for mortgage rates going forward.

Trump's return to the White House is reviving the prospect of preferred stockholders getting some money back after the U.S. took control of the agencies during the 2008 financial crisis to keep the housing market from collapsing.

President Trump is likely to sign the revisions to Executive Order 12866, which will compel all federal agencies to "report up" to the White House and the Office of Management & Budget on initiatives that are not specifically authorized by Congress, writes the Chairman of Whalen Global Advisors.

An index of bank stocks rose 8.5% early Wednesday after Donald Trump won his bid to return to the White House.

A proposed downpayment assistance plan spurred former Ginnie Mae chief Ted Tozer's revival of a zero-down FHA loan concept.

American Banker is live-blogging the U.S. election, providing quick updates on races that matter for bankers on Election Day.

Analysts are watching both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump for potential regulatory picks, as well as how strongly Trump advocates for policies like tariffs and deportations that could impact the economy, inflation and bankers' prospects.

Leaders at financial institutions said borrower demand should pick back up, if slowly, following Tuesday's vote.

Sens. Elizabeth Warren and John Hickenlooper say recent data suggests there is "no need for restrictive interest rates" and easier monetary policy is necessary to lower housing costs.

Mortgage professionals are focusing on housing policies and the Federal Reserve this November.

Core PCE held steady as service costs rose, but the overall report maintains the central bank's flexibility ahead of next week's Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

Government lending leaders also addressed efforts to increase housing stock and affordability in a discussion at the Mortgage Bankers Association's annual conference.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has been patient about implementation, but budgetary considerations create some concern about the program's pace.

The lawmaker said leadership on the House Financial Services Committee is supportive of the legislation, which would limit the ability of credit-reporting agencies to sell homebuyer information to financial service providers.

Positive feedback from participants in existing programs led to the decision to expand them in order to assist more lenders.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau may face an existential threat if former President Trump is reelected, while the agency could be emboldened if Vice President Harris wins.