The Justice Department is suing credit rating agency Standard & Poor's for allegedly ignoring their own standards and rating mortgage investments much higher than they should have been in years leading up to the financial crisis.

Springleaf Financial plans to launch its first securitization of personal consumer loans, Asset-Backed Notes Series 2013-A.

Spreads on subprime auto ABS and the subordinated tranches of prime auto ABS continued to outperform in January.

The securitization investor class of 2013 is likely to be the most geographically diverse group since before the onset of the financial crisis.

Sallie Mae plans to issue a $1.2 billion securitization of Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans.

FTN Financial announced that Sylvia Holt Williams and Grady Mosay joined the bank’s capital markets sales team.

Investors no longer feel limited to their own country for securitization investment opportunities; they are becoming comfortable with the risks and rewards of investing in and owning a global book.

The consumer ABS market got off to a strong start in January, with the auto sector once again leading the way; issuance was up on the year, and spreads narrowed, led by subordinated bonds.

GreatAmerica Financial Services plans a $378million equipment lease ABS transaction, backed by small ticket technology equipment.

REO to rental has come a long way in the past year, but it is still not clear what role securitization will play in the financing of repossessed homes for conversion to rentals.

Aetna priced its $150 million health insurance-linked securitization, Vitality Re IV Ltd. (Series 2013-1).

See results from the Mortgage Bankers Association's Refinance and Purchase Indexes for the week ended Jan. 23 as well as the weekly mortgage rates surveyed by Freddie Mac for the week ended Jan. 24.