A strong employment reading for September and geopolitical issues pushed interest rates on mortgages up this week.

Even with elevated levels of delinquencies, MBS investors are protected due to credit enhancement and low loan-to-value ratios.

A bill to limit trigger leads has bipartisan support and was included in a defense appropriations bill in the Senate during September.

Fitch Ratings upgraded its servicer ratings of Planet Home Lending, citing a strong recapture rate, among other attributes.

Overall, mortgage locks increased by 3.2% in September, according to Mortgage Capital Trading.

An estimated 64.2% of newly-originated home loans were securitized in the second quarter, down from 67.2% in the first quarter.

With interest rates declining, mortgage fraud is a growing concern.

The MBS is stocked with scratch-and-dent loans, early buyouts from Ginnie MBS and non-QMs.

Freedom Mortgage is set to issue a $255.0 million transaction tied to financing acquisitions of mortgage servicing rights for loans associated with Fannie Mae.

Demand for both purchase mortgages and refis declined last week.