The biggest gain was in agency single-family MBS, as several large bank holding companies boosted their trading portfolios by $1 billion or more during the first quarter.

Money-market funds were the most aggressive buyers of MBS during the first quarter, and analysts think demand from the sector will last. (Includes three data charts.)

Data show that, in the wake of natural disasters, lenders are more likely to approve, originate and sell mortgages to the government-sponsored enterprises. This raises issues of moral hazard and adverse selection, according to economists.

After a three-month hiatus, Fannie rebounded with $1.44 billion in CAS deals, while Freddie’s STACR issuance totaled $611.0 million. (Includes data chart.)

Removals from Ginnie MBS were few and far between in the first quarter of 2023 as elevated interest rates limited loan payoffs and other withdrawal activity. (Includes data chart.)

Fannie and Freddie captured a smaller share of the conventional-conforming market last year, and non-agency issuance dropped sharply in the second half. (Includes data chart.)

No one likes to be asked to repurchase a mortgage that’s already been securitized. But are the GSEs playing too tough on buyback requests on performing loans? The issue has reached the FHFA.

Monthly business volume was up in March, and a handful of sellers grew their agency single-family production in an otherwise calamitous start to the new year. (Includes two data charts.)

The RMBS rating business nearly ground to a halt in the fourth quarter, but ECM was the place to be in 2022. ABS fared a little better, with business-finance and consumer deals showing relative strength. (Includes two data charts.)

Freddie Mac saw a big fourth-quarter increase in Supers issuance that appeared to make up for lost ground earlier in the year. All three agencies posted declines in new REMIC production in the fourth quarter. (Includes two data charts.)