The Second Circuit Court of Appeals altered some of its original findings in a lawsuit dealing with MBS liability under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
Much of the first-quarter decline in CLO issuance came from a sharp slowdown in reset and refinance transactions. Meanwhile, issuance backed by commercial real estate is having a moment.
The value of agency MBS declined sharply following the start of the war with Iran. More recently, volatility has declined, prompting some major agency MBS investors to see continued promise in the assets.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac appear to be buying more MBS at times when spreads widen. They’re also hedging the purchases with interest rate swaps, according to industry participants.
The comment period on a concept release from the SEC to revise disclosure requirements on MBS and ABS closed in December. Since then, SEC officials have held a number of meetings with industry groups.