Continued growth in the refinance market pushed new agency MBS issuance slightly higher in October, offsetting further softening in the purchase-mortgage business. (Includes two data charts.)

Retail-originated loans accounted for a higher share of the booming agency mortgage market in the third quarter, and there are signs that wholesale-broker competition is heating up. (Includes two data charts.)

Agency single-family MBS production surged to $463.7 billion in the third quarter, the hottest market in nearly 11 years. But a handful of top players recorded declining sales to Fannie, Freddie and Ginnie platforms. (Includes two data charts.)