It’s been no secret in Washington financial circles that shortly after Donald Trump was elected president, the decision was made by his “team” to fire CFPB director Richard Cordray...

In general, nonbanks have been gaining origination market share from depositories over the past few years, a trend that shows no sign of abating.

Judge William Pauley of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York has approved a $335 million settlement by Bank of America with three pension funds and other investors to resolve a securities class-action against the bank. The settlement is one of the largest class-action settlements of securities-purchase claims arising from the financial crisis, according to the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS), the court appointed lead plaintiff in the six-year old case. Other investors include...

With financial markets awaiting, with some uncertainty, the public policy positions of the incoming Trump administration and the new Congress, industry analysts say ABS investors can expect most sectors to turn in stable performances in 2017. “As we look back on 2016 and consider the 2017 global structured finance outlook, most markets and their credit conditions seem favorable, and in some cases, even ideal. However, 2017 has many unknowns, especially the specific policies and priorities that will be adopted by the new U.S. administration,” said analysts with S&P Global Ratings in a recent outlook report. “Some would suggest government-sponsored enterprise privatization is possible, risk retention could be revised, and an appropriate/globally consistent capital treatment for structured finance products could be approved.” Further, “For the most part, we expect...

Heavy refinance activity at the end of the year lifted single-family business at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to a three-year high in 2016, according to a new Inside The GSEs analysis and ranking. The two firms guaranteed $973.72 billion of single-family mortgage-backed securities during 2016, up 18.1 percent from the previous year. That included a 5.7 percent increase from the third to the fourth quarter that was fueled by a 24.5 percent jump in refi loans delivered into new GSE MBS. While both companies saw solid gains from 2015 activity, Fannie’s 23.3 percent increase was more than double the 11.0 percent rise in Freddie volume. [includes two charts]

Buyers and sellers are waiting to see if the 75 basis point increase in rates will stick around or turn out to be a fluke and then reverse course...

“No matter what, it’s an enormous move,” said Mark Garland, president of MountainView Servicing Group, Denver.

The new FHFA IG report is heavily redacted…

Banks and nonbanks alike are expected to unveil sizable mark-ups on the asset value of their mortgage servicing rights for the fourth quarter, with the general consensus being that increases will range from 20 to 25 basis points. One servicing advisor, requesting his name not be used, said he has some clients that will book gains of 30 to 35 bps, though he indicated this won’t be the norm. “In general, it’s going to be a huge move,” he said. This source made...

RPM Mortgage, Alamo, CA, is in serious negotiations to buy at least two other mortgage banking firms – or their assets – and has its eye on at least one other shop, according to investment banking officials who claim to have knowledge of the situation. If the acquisitions come to fruition, they could put the privately held nonbank on track to be a $14 billion a year originator, said a source who advises the company. One of the target acquisitions is a $4 billion a year lender, the other a $650 million funder. A spokesman for RPM declined to comment. A few weeks back, RPM made...