A new Optimal Blue whitepaper details the need for a LIBOR alternative in the secondary market for non-QM loans.

Investors can’t seem to get enough non-agency MBS. Issuance is booming and demand is expected to remain elevated thanks to the outlook for interest rates, among other factors.

Ellington Financial plans to increase non-agency issuance. The real estate investment trust last month issued its first non-QM MBS in over a year.

Computershare recently started offering trustee services for MBS. Western Alliance was named as a trustee for a CLO deal.

Rocket’s originations and secondary market sales of home equity loans are flourishing without the GSEs. It’s also not yet clear how large of a role the GSEs would have in the market for closed-end second liens.

Acra is once again entertaining the idea of issuing MBS through its own shelf. The wholesaler has also teamed up with a money manager.

Ginnie seeing strong demand from foreign investors; non-QM demand particularly strong in MBS market; McCargo lands at Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco; CMBS downgraded.

A proposal from FINRA to reduce the timeframe in which trades of MBS and ABS must be reported didn’t sit well with some industry participants, prompting the SEC to take a closer look at the proposal.

Secondary market players are showing a growing interest in expanded-credit mortgages and jumbos.

Ares will contribute 90% of the joint venture capital while AmWest will provide the remainder. AmWest will also the provide the non-QM loans for securitization.