With revenue lower than expected due to the coronavirus pandemic, California is allowing electric utilities to use securitization to avoid sharp rate increases for customers.

Issuance of ABS tied to marine container leases set sail in August, with the sector producing more volume in recent weeks than all of 2018 and 2019 combined.

The bull market in debt offerings by mortgage-related vendors continues. The latest participant: ICE, which is buying Ellie Mae for a stunning $11 billion.

The debt market has been a welcoming place for all sorts of issuers of late. The latest participant: MGIC Investment Corp.

With rates at rock bottom, LendingTree is selling $500 million worth of short-term corporate paper. Not bad for a loan broker.

An advisory panel has called for greater transparency around credit ratings. SEC officials say the reforms could be difficult to implement.

Mortgage industry vendors seem to have no trouble tapping the capital markets these days. The latest example: Fidelity National Financial.

The performance of ABS from marketplace lenders could take a harder hit from the pandemic than other types of MBS and ABS, said Fitch.

As the Federal Reserve works to get TALF up and running, industry participants hope more types of assets are added to the mix.

Rating services anticipate the sharp rise in the unemployment rate brought on by the pandemic will damage borrowers’ ability to repay loans.