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Inside MBS & ABS

November 21, 2012

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SEC Finds Problems Large and Small in MBS And ABS Ratings From the Rating Services

While the nine rating services registered as Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations were largely compliant with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and recommendations, the agency found some significant issues with the ABS rating process. In a review covering the government’s 2012 fiscal year ending in September, the SEC said one of the top three firms appeared to change its method for calculating a key financial ratio in rating certain asset-backed securitizations, but failed for several months to publicly disclose the change and its effects on the ratings. The agency includes non-mortgage ABS, commercial MBS and non-agency MBS in a single category of asset-backed securitizations. “Further, it appears the NRSRO did not consistently apply... Read More

Moody’s, S&P Dominate Non-Mortgage ABS Ratings; DBRS Tops in Non-Agency MBS

The top three rating services continued to dominate the new issuance market in non-mortgage ABS during the first nine months of 2012, according to a new Inside MBS & ABS analysis, but the biggest player in the non-agency MBS market was DBRS. Moody’s Investors Service rated 69.7 percent of the non-mortgage ABS issued in 2012 as of the end of the third quarter, down slightly from its 70.4 percent share of the 2011 market. The company’s strengths were in vehicle finance and business loan ABS, where it captured more than three-quarters of new issuance by dollar volume. Standard & Poor’s ranked...[Includes two data charts] Read More

TMPG, SIFMA Make Push for Margining MBS Trades to Lower Counterparty, Systemic Risks

Securitization market professionals are jointly promoting the practice of “margining” transactions involving Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae MBS, despite the costs involved, to reduce counterparty and systemic risks. Last week, the Treasury Market Practices Group revised its existing “best practices” for Treasury, agency debt and agency MBS markets to include a recommendation that forward-settling agency MBS transactions be margined in order to prudently manage counterparty exposures. “In order to allow market participants to develop... Read More

JPMorgan, Credit Suisse to Pay Over $400 Million for Allegedly Misrepresenting Quality of Loans They Sold

JPMorgan Securities and Credit Suisse Securities have agreed to pay more than $400 million combined to settle government charges that they misled investors in offerings of non-agency MBS from 2005 to 2010, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC, working with the federal-state Residential MBS Working Group, reached separate settlement agreements with the two financial institutions after filing a complaint and issuing a cease-and-desist order. Neither JPMorgan nor Credit Suisse admitted to or denied the findings against them or any of their affiliates. The SEC alleged... Read More

BofA’s Principal Forgiveness on Non-Agency MBS In Servicing Settlement Was Approved by Investors

Investors in non-agency MBS raised concerns about principal forgiveness required by the $25 billion national servicing settlement agreed to earlier this year by five banks. While most of the banks claimed they would focus the efforts on their own portfolio holdings, MBS investor concerns appeared to have been realized as Bank of America said about half of the principal it has forgiven was tied to mortgages in non-agency MBS. However, Shaun Donovan, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, noted this week that investors in Bank of America’s non-agency MBS agreed to allow principal reductions on their holdings. “We knew from the beginning, that because Bank of America had... Read More

Analysts: HARP 3.0 With Extended Deadline Would ‘Meaningfully’ Increase Fannie, Freddie Refi Volume

The revised “HARP 3.0” proposal pending in the Senate would likely have only a limited impact on boosting Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac refinance activity, according to a report released by RBS Securities last week. Senate Democrats have proposed legislation designed to expand the Home Affordable Refinance Program for underwater Fannie/Freddie borrowers, although most observers see little chance of it being enacted in the lame duck session of Congress. RBS said... Read More

HUD OIG-Sponsored Audit Finds Ginnie Mae Finances in Good Shape, Lingering TBW Fallout

Ginnie Mae is in sound financial health and poised to potentially absorb any FHA losses, if required, but the enduring fallout from Taylor, Bean & Whitaker’s collapse three years ago continues to plague the agency, according to an independent audit commissioned by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General. The report by CliftonLarsonAllen disclosed no material weaknesses in Ginnie’s internal controls over financial reporting and no instance of legal or regulatory noncompliance during fiscal years 2012 and 2011. Ginnie’s loss reserves for its MBS program declined to $357.4 million in fiscal 2012, from $395.8 million at the end of fiscal 2011. “Ginnie Mae believes... Read More

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