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Inside MBS & ABS

April 5, 2019

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MBS/ABS Issuance Down in 1Q19, But March Rebounds

Production of new MBS and ABS fell in almost every category during the first quarter of 2019, but several markets showed rebounding volume in March, a new Inside MBS & ABS analysis shows. Preliminary estimates indicate that a total of $310.04 billion of MBS and ABS was issued in the first three months of 2019, a 10.3% decline from the previous three-month period. It marked the softest quarter in new issuance since the April-June cycle ... [Includes three data charts] Read More

Never Mind. The Yield Curve is No Longer Negative

Thanks to rising long-term interest rates, the negative yield curve that investors fretted about two weeks ago has been snuffed out, causing some market watchers to worry less about a coming recession. As Inside MBS & ABS went to press, the yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury was at 2.51%, compared to 2.33% for the two-year and 2.44% for the three-month T-bill. As recently as March 25, the 10-year was at 2.36%, lower than short-term rates. Opinions differ, but some analysts ... Read More

Ratings More Common on Marketplace Lending ABS

Rating services are getting more comfortable with ABS and MBS stocked with loans originated by marketplace lenders. The share of such issuance with credit ratings is increasing and credit enhancement requirements for the deals are declining. Marketplace lenders, also known as fintech lenders, started by matching individual investors with borrowers, and funding evolved in recent years to institutional investors and ABS and MBS. Some $2.6 billion of marketplace lending ABS ... Read More

Ginnie Issues Seasoning Guidance for VA Refi Loans

As a result of numerous inquiries, Ginnie Mae has provided additional clarity on the seasoning for VA refinances to help issuers comply with its 2018 guidance on pooling eligibility requirements. Under the Dodd-Frank reform act, to qualify for a Ginnie guarantee, a VA refi loan must have a recoupment period of 36 months and provide a net tangible benefit to the borrower. The seasoning requirement is aimed at curbing serial churning — the repeated refinancing of a loan to generate ... Read More

Mall-Focused REITs Under Pressure to Mitigate Risk

Store closures by J.C. Penney, as part of its plan to turn around operations and return to the black, are putting pressure on mall-focused real estate investment trusts to reduce their risk exposure, Moody’s Investors Service said in a new report. J.C. Penney in February announced plans to close 27 stores this year, including 18 full-line department stores and nine home and furniture stores, spanning at least 13 states. Moody’s expects the retailer to announce more closures in ... Read More

LIBOR Switch Could Prompt MBS/ABS Taxes

The transition away from the London Inter-bank Offered Rate could prompt significant tax issues for MBS and ABS investors. The Structured Finance Industry Group wrote to the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury last week requesting guidance on the issue. LIBOR won’t be available after 2021 and market participants are looking for an alternative reference rate. Various securities are tied to the London benchmark rate in terms of the loans that back the deals and their ... Read More

MBS Backed by Modified Loans Ideal for CMO Deals

It may seem counterintuitive, but MBS backed by reperforming loans, and thus not eligible to be traded in the to-be-announced market, are the ideal assets in collateralized mortgage obligation deals. According to a report from Stifel’s fixed income strategy division, the reason is simple — most modified loans are unlikely to be refinanced as they have “a unique and desirable prepayment profile.” Borrowers with modified loans have already had their rates dramatically reduced. They're unlikely to ... Read More

Deephaven Might Be Off the Auction Block: Sources

The sale of non-qualified mortgage lender and securitizer Deephaven Mortgage, Charlotte, NC, appears to be on the back burner for now, according to sources tracking the deal. “There was an auction, a bid, but it didn’t meet their price,” said one executive who claimed to have knowledge of the transaction. This source, requesting anonymity, maintains that at one point there were at least 20 different investors expressing an interest in Deephaven but it’s unclear how many had a copy of ... Read More

Mortgage Grapevine: It’s Official: Calabria in at FHFA; Citadel Coming off a Strong 1Q19; CLO Outlook?

Late Thursday, the Senate voted to approve Mark Calabria as the permanent director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency by a vote of 53 to 44 along party lines. A few senators did not cast ballots. But don’t look for this free-market economist to quickly make radical changes to how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac operate. The first thing to watch is whether Calabria allows them to build more capital…Non-QM lender Citadel Servicing Corp., Irvine, CA, originated $475 million in ... Read More

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