December was a slow month for MBS trades but 2019, on average, was quite good. Meanwhile, just when you thought rates might start rising, a monkey wrench or two gets thrown into the works.

The SEC found numerous compliance issues when examining rating services in 2018. The report on the problems, though, was even more vague than usual.

A $175 million prime auto ABS issued by GTE Federal Credit Union in November was the first rated ABS issued by a credit union. Other deals are likely to follow thanks to revisions made by the NCUA.

Store closings are piling up in 2020, adding pressure to loans backing retail CMBS. Malls in secondary and tertiary markets are vulnerable.

Among the housing commentariat, Don Layton is essentially the lone voice from the former C-suites of Fannie and Freddie.

To avoid retaining risk in securitization deals, mortgage lenders are joining hands with investors who act as “co-sponsors” and take on the first-loss position.

Radian has pulled the plug on its experiment in the due diligence arena by selling Clayton Services. The unit’s new owner, Covius, is bullish on its prospects.

The current standard language in leveraged loan documents may expose issuers to heightened credit risk and a spike in debt service costs when LIBOR is no longer viable, according to Fitch Ratings.

Issuance of aircraft-related ABS is expected to shoot up in the coming years but industry analysts are warning about potential performance issues. Fitch said it’s taking a cautious approach to rating new deals.

The government agency’s new issuer portal, MyGinnieMae, gives individual users a single access point to all its systems.