Consumer ABS

The number of private student loans defaulting in 2Q11 increased by 5% from 1Q11, according to the Moody's Investors Service Private Student Loan Indices.

Atlanta-based SunTrust Banks said C.T. Hill, its corporate executive vice president and head of consumer banking and mortgage, would now have his primary focus on the company's mortgage business.

Avis Budget Rental Car Funding (AESOP) is in the market with a $300 144A deal called Avis Budget Series 2011-5.

Bank of America Corp.'s deal on Monday to sell its unwanted Canadian card assets is the latest example of how smaller acquisitions are fueling a slow revival in the credit card portfolio sales market.

Credit card delinquencies fell to their lowest point in 17 years in the second quarter as consumers remained cautious about taking on more debt and issuers continued their conservative approach to lending, TransUnion Corp. said Tuesday.

Fitch Ratings has affirmed the U.S. long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) and Fitch-rated U.S. Treasury security ratings at 'AAA'.

Bank of America Corp. said Monday that it is selling an $8.6 billion credit card portfolio in Canada and plans to unload $19 billion of card loans in Europe as it works to exit the international card business.The Charlotte, N.C., company has agreed to sell its Canadian portfolio to TD Bank Group for an undisclosed amount, though TD said in a separate release that it will pay a "modest premium" on the portfolio.

Even though more nationwide consumers are paying their credit card payments on time, mortgage delinquencies of 60-days or more have increased since 2007, according to an Experian report.

Wells Fargo analysts recommended FFELP and private student loan-backed ABS as nonbenchmark asset classes that provide investors with good relative value opportunities.

-----Original Message-----From: Siegel, GarySent: Thu 8/11/2011 11:07 AMTo: Sibayan, KarenSubject: RE: Rep. Waters Seeks SEC Probe, House Panel Hearings on S&P DowngradeThursday, August 11, 2011By Lynn Hume WASHINGTON - Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Standard & Poor's disclosed its downgrade of U.S. debt to certain financial institutions before it made the information public.In a two-page letter dated Wednesday to SEC chairwoman Mary Schapiro, Waters said: "Given the historic nature of S&P's downgrade, and the tremendous market volatility experienced after that downgrade, I feel it is appropriate for the commission to conduct an investigation."She said the SEC should probe whether any institutions traded on the basis on nonpublic information about the downgrade.Waters also sent House Financial Services Committee chairman Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., a two-page letter asking that the committee conduct a hearing or a series of hearings on "the extent to which [Standard & Poor's] downgrade was based on an objective analysis of U.S. debt dynamics versus subjective political analysis," among other things.The committee also should examine: the impact of the rating agency's using an incorrect Congressional Budget Office assumption in deciding to downgrade U.S. debt; the extent to which Standard & Poor's and its parent, McGraw-Hill Cos., have firewalls to insulate their lobbying and rating activities; as well as the implications of the rating agency's action and its historical performance, she said.In line with her request to the SEC, she asked that the committee examine whether SEC disclosed its downgrade to certain financial institutions before making it public.Waters is the ranking minority member of the House Financial Services Committee's capital markets subcommittee.Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., has asked the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate whether Standard & Poor's disclosed its downgrade of U.S. debt to certain financial institutions before it made the information public.In a two-page letter dated Wednesday to SEC chairwoman Mary Schapiro, Waters said: "Given the historic nature of S&P's downgrade, and the tremendous market volatility experienced after that downgrade, I feel it is appropriate for the commission to conduct an investigation."She said the SEC should probe whether any institutions traded on the basis on nonpublic information about the downgrade.Waters also sent House Financial Services Committee chairman Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., a two-page letter asking that the committee conduct a hearing or a series of hearings on "the extent to which S&P downgrade was based on an objective analysis of U.S. debt dynamics versus subjective political analysis," among other things.The committee also should examine: the impact of the rating agency's using an incorrect Congressional Budget Office assumption in deciding to downgrade U.S. debt; the extent to which S&P and its parent, McGraw-Hill Cos., have firewalls to insulate their lobbying and rating activities; as well as the implications of the rating agency's action and its historical performance, she said.In line with her request to the SEC, she asked that the committee examine whether SEC disclosed its downgrade to certain financial institutions before making it public.Waters is the ranking minority member of the House Financial Services Committee's capital markets subcommittee.