Finance

Credit Agricole Securities placed CAD$120 million of notes issued by Vecta I Ltd., which marks the first ABS backed by Canadian life insurance embedded value.

Carrington Holding Co. is trying to raise $1 billion from investors to purchase foreclosed single-family properties that its mortgage services unit will manage and rent.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago has received the go-ahead from its regulator to begin repurchasing stock from its member banks.

Most thrift holding companies will get a two-year phase in period for following Federal Reserve Board reporting requirements while others will initially be exempted, the central bank said Friday.

House prices fell 1.2% in October after dipping 0.7% in September, according to new figures released by Standard & Poor's Tuesday morning.

There were mixed signals last week on the strength of the economy and housing in particular.

As part of an ongoing effort to refinance and reduce its debt post-bankruptcy, CIT Group, a leading provider of financing to small businesses and middle market companies, announced Dec. 22 that it will redeem an additional $2 billion of 7% Series A Second Lien Notes, including the $1.6 billion remaining balance of its Notes maturing in 2015 and approximately $400 million of its Notes maturing in 2016.

Edward DeMarco, the acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has one of the toughest jobs in town.

Four federal regulators on Friday announced they would give commenters an additional month to weigh in on sweeping restrictions to banks' proprietary trading vehicles.

Fitch Ratings this week downgraded its servicer rating on Ocwen Financial Corp., Atlanta, questioning its rapid expansion in servicing contracts and voicing doubts about its heavy use of offshore workers.

The recent widening between three-month U.S.-dollar Libor and the 90-day financial commercial paper rate is credit negative for FFELP SLABS, said Moody's investors Service recently in its publication called Moody's Student Loan Scholar.

Add the name of EverBank Financial to the list of bidders that have been kicking the tires at MetLife Home Loans, Irving, Texas.

Five industry trade groups have sent a new letter to Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) director Edward DeMarco, telling him – more or less – that they believe the 'fee for service' (FFS) concept would be a disaster for both the industry and consumers.

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) yesterday said it has fined Barclays Capital $3 million for misrepresenting delinquency data and inadequate supervision on the issuance of subprime RMBS.

Cantor Fitzgerald yesterday filed a form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to issue CMBS under its CCRE Commercial Mortgage Securities trust.

Mortgage rates continue to fall even lower. Freddie Mac reported its recent weekly survey shows the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 3.91%, the lowest point in four decades and the sixth time a new low has been reached during 2011.

Consumers soon will be paying more for government-backed mortgages now that the House and Senate have reached a deal to extend a payroll tax break for two months.The bill (H.R. 3630) pays for the payroll measure by hiking guarantee fees on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans by 10 basis points. Lenders will pay the extra points but, more than likely, will past the cost onto borrowers.

Housing production in California was up in November for the fourth consecutive month. But builders in the Golden State are still on track to start the third lowest number of units on record in 2011.

Freddie Mac said Thursday that the average weekly rate for a 30-year mortgage has inched down to another record low.