A financial services veteran, Peter Akwaboah joins the government-sponsored enterprise after serving as a managing director for Morgan Stanley, where he led technology and innovation strategy.

The USDA forecasted farm profits will plunge 26% this year, potentially creating credit quality challenges for lenders.

Rising card balances—and delinquencies—might be a matter of normalization post-COVID, but securitization remains an attractive option for banks extending revolving credit, say observers.

Time Investment Company, a first-time issuer, offers loans that mostly finance home water treatment systems, and its customers approach prime quality.

Lenders collected an estimated $25 billion in additional interest income last year by raising the average margin on annual percentage rates, or the amount above the prime rate, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The 30-year average rate got closer to 7% as central bank officials dashed near-term hopes of a cut, according to Freddie Mac.

Although the notes are supported by non-prime assets, Banco Santander sits at the top of the transaction's ownership chain and has a stable long-term, senior unsecured debt rating of A2.

Kobalt's notes benefit from an overcollateralization level of 35%, and a debt service reserve account initially sized to cover six months of fees and interest on the notes.

Mortgage application activity had its largest decline in a year, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The latest securitization coincides with the company announcing a partnership with U.S. Bank to provide personal loans to borrowers.

The blockbuster merger proposal will be reviewed at a time when the Biden administration is expressing skepticism about consolidation. Its analysis will have to account for markets dominated by both big banks and the likes of Visa and Mastercard.

: A1 notes are expected to price at par, with a 13 basis-point spread over the 3-month, I-curve, and 44-77 basis points on the A2 through A4 notes, according to Asset Securitization Report's deal database.