Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are expected to pay some $5.6 billion to taxpayers following a “normal” second-quarter earnings period that was largely absent of big-ticket tax breaks or large litigation settlements, the two government-sponsored enterprises announced Thursday morning.

PennyMac Financial Services on Wednesday reported net income of $51.4 million for the second quarter of 2014, prompted by strong originations and servicing.

Multiple news organizations reported on Wednesday that Bank of America and the Department of Justice are on the verge of agreeing to a settlement valued in excess of $16 billion that would bring to a close mortgage claims stemming from the lead-up to the financial crisis.

With origination volumes sucking wind this year, plenty of mortgage companies are pondering whether now is the time to sell, but so far few deals of any size have been consummated. That may change in the coming months.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and 25 states filed amicus briefs in a case pending before the Supreme Court of the United States, Jesinoski v. Countrywide Home Loans Inc., that could resolve a circuit split over the recession of a mortgage under the Truth in Lending Act.

Morgan Stanley is set to issue its first jumbo mortgage-backed security since the financial crisis.

Two of the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks announced last week they are deep into merger talks that, if consummated, would create the largest single entity within the FHLBank system. The proposed merger of the FHLBank of Des Moines and the smaller, troubled FHLBank of Seattle would create an institution with more than 1,500 member financial institutions in 13 states and three U.S. territories in the Pacific Ocean. “A detailed due diligence process is...

With origination volumes sucking wind this year, plenty of mortgage companies are pondering whether now is the time to sell, but so far few deals of any size have been consummated. That may change in the coming months. On the buy-side, a dozen or so potential acquirers have emerged, including such growth-minded nonbanks as Prospect Mortgage, RPM Mortgage – both of which are based in California – and possibly AmeriSave Mortgage of Atlanta. Also, Willie Newman, the former CEO of Cole Taylor Mortgage, has teamed up...

The Structured Finance Industry Group issued the first of its proposed standards for non-agency mortgage-backed securities.

Production of new agency mortgage-backed securities increased by 11 percent over June, according to a new Inside MBS & ABS ranking and analysis.