Secondary markets

The acting head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency will become the first African American woman to lead the agency as a result of the vote Wednesday.

The Treasuries market is girding for potential disruptions from the next and trickiest stage of policymakers’ tightening campaign: the shrinking of an $8.5 trillion bond portfolio.

First quarter gain-on-sale at nine originators tracked by Keefe, Bruyette & Woods averaged 149 basis points, much higher than the 5 bps recorded for independent mortgage bankers tracked by the MBA.

At the Mortgage Bankers Association Secondary Conference this week, issuers noted their concern about rising delinquency levels, accusations of racial bias in lending, and whether regulators in Albany and Washington are preparing a new campaign against “abuses” in mortgage servicing, the chairman of Whalen Global Advisors writes.

The ability to produce a cohesive, visible audit trail is “like nirvana” for lenders, ICE Mortgage Technology Vice President Christopher McEntee said.

Lending that can fulfill Biden administration aims around equity and supply, like an FHA premium cut or financing for accessory dwelling units, remain possible, but late-cycle housing risk is a concern.

The White House outlined a specific role for the agency in its housing supply agenda, which has not happened before, Ginnie President Alanna McCargo said at the MBA Secondary Conference. Meanwhile, the acting head of the FHFA said preferred stock talks haven’t happened — yet.

Preliminary data from the trade group indicates that mortgage lenders an average of 5 basis points earned per loan as costs reached an all-time high.

Mid America will retain its focus on technology, third-party originations and secondary market executions for specialty products while helping the acquirer expand the scope of its operations.

But the REIT, which invests in mortgages that have to be verified through nontraditional means like bank statements, has seen an improvement in its outlook since the first quarter.