Greystone has closed the first two transactions originated under Freddie Mac's new small balance commercial mortgage loan initiative.

Karen Pallotta has joined Redwood Trust’s Board of Directors, the company announced in a press release today.

Sankaty Advisors is prepping a €364.025 million ($447 million) European collateralized loan obligation, according to Moody’s Investors Service.

Fitch Ratings could put 20 commercial mortgage securitizations under review for a possible downgrade if Congress fails to renew government-sponsored terrorism reinsurance.

Consumer Portfolio Services has closed on its fourth securitization of subprime auto loans of the year.

European banks have begun re-marketing securitizations that they had retained as collateral for central bank funding, and this is expected to accelerate in 2015.

J.P. Morgan Securities is arranging a $352.7-million RMBS securitizing 677 prime pre-crisis mortgages originated by Merrill Lynch Credit Corp., according to a pre-sale report by Fitch Ratings.

Lorillard’s pending acquisition of Reynolds American shrinks the universe of original participating manufactures in the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement to 2 from 3; but not the payments made to tobacco bonds.

Cantor Fitzgerald hired Gary Wang and Karl Partch as managing directors in whole loan sales and trading.

Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) subsidiary Chesterfield Financial Holdings has closed a $300-million transaction backed by a “closed block” of life insurance policies, RGA said in a press release.

U.S. collateralized loan obligations have relatively low exposure to oil and gas, according to Standard & Poor's.