Secondary markets

The ratings agency plans to assess deals based on representations and warranties as well as an analysis of an independent third-party review of data quality and an originator assessment.

Wall Street is running into resistance unloading commercial-mortgage backed securities. After overlooking deteriorating underwriting standards for months, investors are becoming more selective as geopolitical turmoil sparks a flight from risky assets.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency provided its first specifics Tuesday on how it intends to create a single security for mortgage-backed securities guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Even though refinance loans account for the majority of mortgage applications, the refi boom has long been over, and depressed origination volume will keep it that way for some time.

Fitch Ratings may decline to rate or limit the maximum rating on re-performing securitizations if their representations and warranties, rep providers, documentation, due diligence reviews and structures aren't up to snuff.

The overall message – that mini-correspondents were intended as transitions, not permanent business models – means that the loan channel would be examined for consistency with the intended purpose.

Galante's impending departure may signal that the recovery of the federal mortgage insurance fund is nearly complete and an upcoming report will show a healthy capital level.

The issuance of securities backed by mortgage loans on multifamily properties guaranteed by Fannie Mae increased over 30% from the first quarter of 2014.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are relying more and more on their income from loan guarantee fees just at a time when their regulator is considering a proposal to reduce those fees.

Morgan Stanley is returning to the jumbo residential mortgage-backed securities market for the first-time since the housing crisis. The originator is well-known, but the loans are unusual and the geographic concentration is high.

Selling loans into the secondary market was a good strategy for housing finance agencies when rates were falling, but now they are said to be heading back to traditional bond financings to boost their balance sheets.

U.S. non-governmental residential mortgage-backed securities infrastructure may help Canadian players diversify their funding sources. The U.S. might win more key investors back if it had Canada's credit strengths.

Zais Financial Corp., a real estate investment trust in Red Bank, N.J., has acquired the privately owned mortgage company GMFS in Baton Rouge, La., for approximately $61 million.

Fannie Mae will give the Treasury Department $3.7 billion next month after the largest financier of mortgages posted its 10th-consecutive quarterly profit.

Freddie Mac will pay the Treasury Department $1.9 billion after the second-largest financier of mortgages posted its 11th consecutive quarterly profit.

As warehouse providers try to build market share with new types of credit lines, allowing mortgage bankers to fund non-QM loans is the logical next step to staying competitive.

The mortgage-bond industry is taking steps toward creating standards meant to help kick-start sales as the government seeks to wean the housing market from its support.

Citigroup Inc.'s $285 million mortgage-securities pact with the Securities and Exchange Commission was approved by a judge whose earlier rejection of the accord was assailed by a federal appeals court.

The proposed merger of the Home Loan banks in Seattle and Des Moines could spur massive consolidation among their sister banks, but only if the two show it's possible to overcome governance and other logistical challenges that have deterred similar deals.

Bond investors are demanding to be paid more to potentially bear losses on mortgages guaranteed by Freddie Mac as risk-sharing notes that were sold earlier by the firm and competitor Fannie Mae slump.