The GSEs’ showing in the first quarter only reflects one full month of the impact of the coronavirus crisis. As potentially millions more homeowners stop paying their mortgages, the enterprises face the prospect of an even more challenging second quarter. (Includes data chart.)
Freddie Mac believes the market for credit-risk transfers may never return to pre-COVID levels because of the potential impact of the pandemic on mortgage performance.
The hiatus in the net worth sweep added $12.53 billion to the GSEs’ combined net worth over the last six months of 2019, including fourth-quarter profit of $4.27 billion at Fannie and $2.45 billion at Freddie. (Includes data chart.)
Fannie and Freddie reported lower combined comprehensive income in the second quarter compared with a year ago. While net interest income and non-interest income declined, expenses shot up.
Calabria reports to Congress on the outlook for Fannie and Freddie. Then asks for powers like those of the FDIC and other financial regulators, including the authority to issue charters for new GSEs.
The Federal Home Loans Banks’ combined net income for the fourth quarter fell to $791 million, an 8.7% decline from the fourth quarter of 2017. Year-over-year, net income rose slightly to $3.56 billion in 2018. But this apparent stability masked dramatic swings elsewhere on the income statement. [Includes one data chart.]
Despite a slow fourth quarter, 2018 turned out to be the most profitable year since 2013 for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. And, although only a fraction of the size of the GSEs’ single-family business, multifamily remained a bright spot. [Includes one data chart.]