Despite a number of lingering performance and regulatory concerns, the market for option adjustable-rate mortgages held steady in the early part of 2006. Based on data collected from lenders, Inside Alternative Mortgages estimates that $59 billion in new option ARMs were produced during the first three months of this year – a level virtually unchanged from the $60 billion in option ARMs that were originated during the same period last year. … [One data table included]