Attendance at the ABS East conference hit another record this week, with investors showing strong demand for structured finance products. Issuance is expected to remain elevated, helped by interest rate moves.

Issuance of MBS with non-qualified mortgages is growing even as insurance companies increase their purchases of non-QMs as whole loans. Investor demand for the products looks likely to remain strong.

Non-agency MBS issuers typically ensure properties in the deal are damage free. That standard can be difficult to achieve if a hurricane strikes while the deal is still in the works.

Delinquencies are projected to increase across asset classes, though some sectors will be hit harder than others.

Fitch Ratings sees relatively smooth sailing for residential MBS this year while times are tough in the CMBS market, and the worst could be yet to come.

loanDepot is preparing to issue a non-agency MBS stocked with scratch-and-dent mortgages.

At one point, First Republic Bank was a major contributor to non-agency MBS. In recent years, the bank retained its production, though JPMorgan Chase could move to sell the loans.

The notion that the single-family rental market can flourish whether the housing market is hot or struggling is being put to the test. Kroll Bond Rating Agency cautioned that upgrades of SFR securitizations will be limited in the near term.

KBRA said that third-quarter MBS issuance volume didn’t meet its expectations and will drop rapidly in the coming year. Meanwhile, both DBRS and Moody’s noted that performance is stabilizing. 

Declining home prices have MBS investors worried about potential losses and downgrades. Officials from rating services said their assessments include significant stresses.