The Association for Financial Markets in Europe and the European Securitization Forum along with Information Management Network announced today that the Global ABS conference will return to Brussels next year.

The sputtering U.S. housing market will result in more prime borrowers being pushed further underwater on their mortgages, according to Fitch Ratings in a new report.

Three quarters of commercial real estate executives surveyed by KMPG LLC said distressed real estate would have an impact on their investment strategies over the next 12 months.

Rep. Elijah Cummings, D., Md., ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, and other members of Congress are set to meet with GSE regulator Ed DeMarco Thursday afternoon to discuss President Obama's yet-to-be released refinancing plan.

Former JP Morgan head of counterparty credit risk modeling, Dmitry Pugachevsky has joined Quantifi as research director.

Moody's Analytics will begin offering Lender Processing Services, Inc Home Price Index (HPI), which shows historical price trends for residential properties in the U.S.

Italy's downgrade by Moody's Investor Service earlier this week to 'A2' with a negative outlook, from 'Aa2' has taken a toll on several covered bonds issued by Italian banks that also took a hit.

One of the most controversial elements of the Dodd-Frank Act — a proposed ban on proprietary trading and limitations on private equity investments — is set to be unveiled by regulators in the coming days.

The average 30-year conventional fixed mortgage rates fell below 4 percent for the first time in history this week following a sharp drop in 10-year Treasuries early in the week as concerns over a global recession grew, according to Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac.

The European Central Bank (ECB) said it will resume its covered-bond purchases starting in November and will offer banks two additional unlimited loans of 12 and 13-month as part of its measures to keep Europe liquid and avoid a new crisis.

German-based Styrolution Group has closed a €500 million ($667 million) trade receivables program, according to a release from Finacity Corp., which helped structured the deal and serves as the administrator.

Mortgage foreclosure vendor Lender Processing Services on Wednesday named Hugh R. Harris president and chief executive officer effective immediately.