As reported by Inside MBS & ABS earlier in the year, the two GSEs are sitting on large unrealized gains on some of their MBS holdings, including non-agency.
Credit Suisse and Shellpoint Partners decided to damn the torpedoes and issue a total of three non-agency jumbo MBS at the end of the second quarter of 2013 despite concerns about investor appetite. The Shellpoint MBS was a proof-of-concept affair, while at least one of the Credit Suisse deals appears to be aimed at unloading seasoned originations from one lender. The three deals totaled $1.10 billion. Analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch said...
Issuers of new non-agency MBS continue to resist requests from investors to standardize reps and warrants for new issuance. Issuers suggest that investors will eventually differentiate pricing between deals based on reps and warrants, but it hasnt happened yet. Securitization platforms do and will likely continue to differ in terms of the scope of the reps and warrants provided, according to analysts at Standard & Poors. While standardizing reps and warrants would be a step towards improving transparency in the residential MBS market, the new issue jumbo market has shown substantial diversity even with relatively few recent transactions. S&P recently hosted...
A Wells Fargo securities trial is underway in Minnesota federal district court where jurors will decide whether the financial institution had misrepresented the safety and soundness of its securities lending program and lied to investors about the risks involved or whether the economic crisis was to blame for investor losses. The securities lending program (SLP) was marketed to large institutional investors, including pension funds. As part of the SLP, Wells Fargo held the participants securities in custodial accounts and loaned them temporarily to brokers. The brokers then posted cash collateral, which the bank invested until the securities were returned. Under agreements with SLP participants, Wells Fargo acted...
Roughly $495 billion of residential MBS and non-mortgage ABS were issued during the second quarter of 2013, according to a new Inside MBS & ABS market analysis.