Higher interest rates often cut into new business at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but it helps preserve ongoing guarantee fees by reducing prepayments.

Usage of VantageScore 4.0 is rising among mortgage lenders, helped by LLPAs at the GSEs and low prices for the scores. However, MBS investors have some hesitation regarding how VS4 scores compare to FICO scores.

Balance-sheet normalization at the Fed leads to spread widening, but with a significant lag and focused on premium coupons.

MBS purchase levels at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue to disappoint lenders looking for help with interest rates, though prospects look better for September reporting.

The third-party analytics models used by bond traders now accept VantageScore 4.0 loans, but their methodologies were designed before the confusion around loan-level price adjustment grids.

Interest rates on mortgages increased steadily throughout the second quarter, diminishing demand among non-agency MBS investors to some extent. (Includes data table.)

FHFA directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to resume the MBS buying spree that President Trump requested in January.

The trade group envisions a modern records retrieval system that eliminates the need to move the loan documents associated with mortgages that collateralize both agency MBS and non-agency MBS.

Despite a presidential directive to buy more MBS, the GSEs’ combined MBS holdings have declined for three straight months.

A conservative think-tank economist argues that the Fed should reduce its MBS holdings to support a more affordable housing market.