MBA's Stevens once again slams those in favor of a GSE “recap and release” plan, saying this group consists “primarily [of] stock speculators who are most concerned about personal profits” rather than the future of the U.S. housing system.”

Entering a future downturn with “extensive short-funded, long-asset positions would be imprudent,” said FHFA Director Mel Watt.

In the new Trump budget, the White House takes an ax to the USDA’s rural single-family housing direct loan program.

PHH Mortgage continues to ooze losses as well…

Meanwhile, although GSE risk sharing seems popular in some circles, FHFA itself admitted recently that some of this coverage has come at premium cost to Fannie and Freddie.

In a number of cases, GSE seller-servicers cleaned up pipelines of pending or disputed buyback demands.

The low trading volume is an indication that liquidity is drying up, but it also reflects a decline in new agency MBS being created.

Since Watt’s recent testimony, GSE speculators like Pershing Square and Fairholme have been mostly quiet.

How well do you know your mortgage counterparties?

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt’s comments last week that he’s prepared to allow the GSEs to build a capital buffer to avoid a Treasury draw was met with both applause and concern. But this week, Bob Ryan, special director to Watt, clarified the comments stating that the plan would entail delaying the dividend payments to the U.S. Treasury Department and not suspending them. Ryan, speaking during a credit-risk transfer symposium in New York City, kicked off the first five minutes of a panel discussion about GSE reform by talking about the potential capital buffer plan. He said that it would be done strictly for the purpose of avoiding draws on the “limited resources of the preferred stock purchase agreement.”