As the U.S. hurricane season approaches, catastrophe bond sponsors are taking advantage of a surge in investor enthusiasm to renew existing deals at much lower rates and expand or initiate programs.

Deutsche Bank is marketing a $500 million collateralized obligation for Western Asset Management that includes a delayed-draw tranche of notes.

Standard & Poor’s said in a report today that despite the weakening credit fundamentals for Dutch RMBS, collateral pools to date remain broadly stable.

The South Texas Higher Education Authority has lined up a $104.3 million Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) –backed student loan securitization deal.

Deutsche Bank and Cantor Fitzgerald plan to issue a $1.4 billion CMBS conduit deal called COMM 2013-CCRE8.

Subprime auto lender, JD Byrider plans to return to the securitization market with its $121.4 million CarNow Auto Receivables Trust 2013-1 The lender brought its inaugural issue to market last year.

Freddie Mac plans to issue its ninth multifamiliy CMBS of 2013, a $1.3billion transaction that is backed by fixed-rate multifamily mortgages with a 7-year term.

Ally Bank plans to issue a $986 million auto lease ABS called Ally Auto Receivables Trust (AART) 2013-SN1.

Il Sole 24 ORE S.p.A., publishers of Italy’s leading business daily issued a €55 million ($71 million) trade receivables-backed securitization, the group said in a press release yesterday.

The issue of how long the statute of limitations runs and when the statute clock starts on representations and warranties provisions in RMBS is under active litigation and adds another layer of risk that investors must consider.

Allianz completed a $175 million catastrophe bond providing reinsurance against North American windstorms and earthquakes.