FICC, which provides clearing services for most to-be-announced trades, says its existing margin methodologies failed to provide adequate credit protection during the market turmoil last spring.
REIT industry holdings of agency MBS have climbed 8% higher than they were when COVID forced many firms to shrink, but investment in non-agency MBS remains depressed. (Includes data chart.)
Banks increased their holdings of Fannie/Freddie pass-throughs by $176 billion in the first quarter, while shrinking their Ginnie MBS holdings. Bank of America boosted its Fannie/Freddie portfolio by $85 billion. (Includes two data charts.)
MBS trading is drifting lower in a rising rate environment, but the outlook remains cloudy as mortgage bankers wonder how many more months they have left before refis drain for good. Or will they?
With both Fannie and Freddie now issuing green single-family and multifamily MBS, the enterprises have become a favorite for investors seeking environmentally or socially responsible assets.