Consumer ABS

Ford Motor Credit Co. filed a form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue under its Ford Credit Floorplan Master Owner Trust A.

Auto ABS issuance is on track to beat 2010 volumes if the healthy January pipeline is an indicator of both supply and demand in the sector. Securities backed by auto loans and inventory add up to about $8 billion so far this year.

Ally Financial, which controls the nation's fifth largest mortgage banking firm, plans to go public this year and is interviewing investment bankers for its initial public offering, according to sources familiar with the plan.Two underwriters that Ally has spoken with include JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs.

Nelnet is in the market with a $384.4 million deal called Nelnet Student Loan Trust 2011-1. The FFELP-backed transaction is managed by Barclays Capital and RBC Capital Markets.

Fitch Ratings, in a recent report, updated the “Challenge Factors” (CFs) assigned to 36 emerging market countries in 2009.

Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft hired Joseph Beach for its Charlotte office as special counsel in the capital markets department. His practice will focus on loan finance and securitization.

The American Securitization Forum (ASF) released its detailed agenda for its ASF 2011 conference that will be held in Orlando, Florida from Feb. 6-9.

Banks are in for tougher negotiations with retailers over store credit card programs if a Federal Reserve proposal is finalized.

Sidley Austin promoted Chicago-based lawyer T.J. Gordon to partner in its structured finance and securitization and syndicated and leveraged finance groups.

Martin Fingerhut, previously a partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon's (Blakes) financial services group and chair of the law firm's structured finance group, is moving to Cassels Brock & Blackwell, another Canadian law firm based in Toronto. Fingerhut was hired as a senior partner and head of the firm's securitization group.