RMBS

Moody's Investors Service assigned preliminary ratings to the new U.K. RMBS deal from Lloyds Bank's Arkle master trust.

One of the co-chairs of the new federal/state RMBS Working Group is preparing to file cases in the next few weeks against Wall Street firms involved in the packaging and selling of RMBS.

Expanding the debt-to-income criteria and including investors under the new Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) proposal can have a significant impact on non-agency RMBS modification volumes, Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts said.

The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is proposing new rules for troubled debt restructurings that will cover how all federally insured credit unions account for delinquencies, charge-offs, and income related to troubled home mortgages.

Bank of America is ready to unload yet another multi-billion package of mortgage servicing rights, according to bidders and industry advisors familiar with the bank's plans.

The Treasury Department late Friday unveiled a new plan to expand the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) by increasing the incentive fees it pays investors including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for agreeing to reduce the principal amount of a mortgage.

Panelists discussed similar housing themes to those that were covered in 2011 at the ASF 2012 Future of U.S. Mortgage Finance panel.

There was much focus on the U.S. consumer at American Securitization Forum's (ASF) ASF 2012 held in Las Vegas.

It may be too early to declare who the winner is, but Bank of America's willingness to settle the $8.5 billion Countrywide suit hints at how big the litigation problem might be for mortgage originators in the courts today.

Monolines that have brought MBS lawsuits to court have used the same facts that class actions and put-back claims have made, but have used a different theory of law as a legal basis for their arguments.