New production of agency single-family MBS fell for the sixth month in a row in Febru-ary, sinking to the lowest monthly output in nearly five years. [Includes two data charts.]

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac racked up $25.19 billion in combined net income in 2018, their most profitable year since 2013, when earnings were inflated by accounting rules for deferred tax assets. [Includes one data chart.]

Several high-profile civil rights groups this week threw cold water on Sen. Mike Crapo’s plan to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, saying it would weaken regulation of the government-sponsored enterprises and increase the cost of homeownership.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, scheduled to report fourth-quarter results in early February, are likely to once again show strong earnings, but the black ink likely will pale a bit from the $6.7 billion they posted (combined) in the third quarter.