Commentary

Frameworks have largely improved since the financial crisis, but there remains a lack of consistency and some recurring weaknesses that are keeping some traditional U.S. RMBS investors on the sidelines.

Instead of shrinking the GSEs, the housing regulator is letting them expand into a host of new products and programs.

While the result is anticlimactic, the court’s observations are more interesting; they tend to reinforce doubts about the usefulness of this alternative bankruptcy proofing mechanism.

A federal appeals court overturned part of the 2010 law’s risk retention rule earlier this year. The legal battle highlights mistakes to be avoided during the next reform fight.

Momentum to overhaul the mortgage finance system had been slipping, and with Democrats divided over the Senate's banking relief bill there's virtually no chance more bipartisan deals can be worked out.

"Golden" shares with veto power over bankruptcy filings are commonly used as a backup measure for special purpose vehicles, but there are several issues to be addressed as case law develops.

As the agency pulls back its enforcement efforts, it opens the door for state authorities to pursue more cases against financial startups for their data collection and privacy practices.

Lenders should be encouraged to hold more credit risk in the mortgage market, rather than having it foisted on Fannie and Freddie.

Traditional refinancings are document intensive, time-consuming and costly; the SEC has given the green light to more efficient mechanism that resets coupons at periodic auctions.

Housing regulators should not adopt an alternative credit scoring model until the banking industry is on board.