In the aftermath of a critical audit of Spanish banks, some institutions will face any combination of restructuring, merger into a larger institution, a wind-down or bad-asset sales. Covered bonds are bound to feel some effect.

The low interest rate environment and demand for high-quality, short-duration paper continued to fuel demand for auto ABS and other consumer assets in September. The market absorbed $18 billion of new issuance through Sept. 17, according to a JPMorgan Securities report published on that date.

JPMorgan Securities analysts look at the effect on excess spread from a bankruptcy judge's decision allowing Ambac to start making payments on wrapped non-agency bonds.

David Schneider and Steven Rotella – former Washington Mutual executives who paid fines to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. last year for the thrift's "reckless" lending practices – are eyeing a return to mortgage lending.

A new fear has began to take hold in the mortgage servicing industry: the GSEs are preparing to hike their minimum net-worth requirement for all customers.

Aggregate prime auto loan exhibited slightly weakened performance, although remained in line with historical seasonal trends, Barclays Capital analysts said.

Freddie Mac won’t have to face a lawsuit filed by investors accusing it of misrepresenting the state of its finances in 2007 and 2008, a federal judge ruled.

Fitch Ratings said that after reaching a high-water mark of $92 billion in June 2010, the balance of specially serviced loans dropped to $80.5 billion through June 2012.

View year-to-date 2011 ABS issuance totals for ABS, MBS and CMBS.

Manager Activity: Autos Book Runner Amount (US$ Mil) Rank Mkt.

See results from the Mortgage Bankers Association's Refinance and Purchase Indexes as well as the weekly mortgage rates surveyed by Freddie Mac.

Since Risk Management Solutions changed its hurricane model in March 2011,