Ginnie reduces minimum required pool size for HMBS; Ares Management to issue non-QM MBS; S&P extends comment period on triple-net lease changes; Stifel builds out agency MBS unit; commercial MBS issuers urged to consider advertising.

For several quarters now, commercial banks have been hanging onto underwater non-QMs originated by their warehouse clients because a sale or securitization would blow a hole in the originator’s financial hull. But one of these days, the situation will come to a head, if it hasn’t already.

Prices on non-agency MBS took such a hit in 2022 that the market is now gaining popularity with investors, even with the threat of a recession. Still, new issuance in 2023 is expected to come in lower on an annual basis.

The SEC’s rulemaking agenda includes climate-related disclosures, cybersecurity disclosures and other rules aimed at the MBS and ABS markets.

The Swiss bank is transferring most of its securitized products unit to a group of investors — affiliates of Apollo Global Management and PIMCO. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2023.

Much like the GSEs, banks have the ability to share credit risk on a pool of assets. However, bank CRT issuance has been limited thus far as industry participants wait for an endorsement from banking regulators.

Production of non-agency MBS suffered a third-straight sharp decline in quarterly issuance. The biggest hit was in the prime RMBS sector, where jumbo securitization dropped and GSE-eligible activity nearly disappeared.

A trial that started in September after years of delays ended with a settlement. Bank of America agreed to pay $1.84 billion to settle claims tied to non-agency MBS issued by Countrywide Financial prior to the 2008 financial crisis.

Pacific Western Bank started acquiring residential mortgages in March 2021. PacWest is now done acquiring loans and looking to share credit risk on a pool with an unpaid principal balance of $2.68 billion.

In 2020, the SEC made a move to apply a disclosure rule that had been in effect for nearly 30 years to MBS and ABS. Industry participants have been able to delay enforcement of the rule while seeking changes to the disclosure requirements.