Cart

Inside MBS & ABS

February 8, 2008

View Archived Issues

Prime Non-Agency MBS Issuance Slumps To Six-Year Low During Fourth Quarter

New issuance of jumbo and Alt A mortgage securities sank 58 percent during the fourth quarter of 2007, hitting the lowest quarterly production level since the second quarter of 2001, according to a new ranking and analysis by Inside MBS & ABS... [Includes three charts] Read More

Fed Interest Rate Cutting Could Diminish Need for Subprime Mortgage Modifications

The Federal Reserve’s efforts to stimulate the economy by cutting interest rates could be a de facto rate freeze on adjustable rate mortgages that are coming to their reset dates, some market participants suggest. However, servicers will still have to... Read More

With Investor Confidence in Non-Agency Securitization Low, Some Call for Update of MBS Issuance Model

Investors continue to avoid non-agency MBS and some suggest only a fundamental change in securitization structures will restore investor confidence. At the American Securitization Forum’s 2008 conference this week in Las Vegas, it was clear that investors... Read More

Standard & Poor’s to Enhance Ratings Disclosures, Beef Up Internal Controls

Standard & Poor’s this week announced a lengthy agenda of new procedures designed to boost industry confidence in its ratings, including new disclosures and enhanced internal procedures to guard against conflicts of interest. On ratings themselves, the company... Read More

Resistance to GSE Provisions in Stimulus Complicates GSE Reform Discussions

Senate Republicans showed they would not be bowled over by proponents of a temporary increase in conforming loan limits for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, first stalling an economic stimulus package on the Senate floor and then raising concerns during a... Read More

Freddie Builds Multifamily MBS

Freddie Mac plans to launch a multifamily MBS program this year, if it gets approval from the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. “Most of the time, what we do with our multifamily loans is we hold them on our books, and now we’re talking about doing... Read More

Bond Insurers Stray Into Kanjorski’s Crosshairs; Face Congressional Scrutiny, Oversight on Multiple Levels

The subprime contagion continued to infect bond insurers this week, with another round of ratings downgrades and more government scrutiny and criticism fueling a fresh drive on Capitol Hill for greater regulatory oversight. Rep. Paul Kanjorski, D-PA, chairman... Read More

Non-Agency MBS Market Shrivels in January, Fannie Captures Almost Half

The non-agency MBS market remained in the deep freeze in January, with just $10.82 billion in new issuance for the month. That was up slightly from December, but over half of the volume for the month came from a portfolio securitization... [Includes one chart] Read More

Latest Imf News

More Imf News

Featured Data

More Featured Data

Featured Reports

More Latest Reports

Featured Poll

As homeowner equity continues to build, more and more lenders are launching home equity lending products. Are you thinking of joining this market?

View Results