RMBS

BlackRock hopes to invest upwards of $1 billion in jumbo mortgages with the hope of eventually issuing securities backed by the loans, according to secondary market officials familiar with the plan.

Federal regulators should allow three-year ARMs and certain interest-only loans to be classified as "qualified mortgages" that will be exempt from risk retention rules, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Ambac Financial Group hurried into bankruptcy protection this week because it was worried the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) might gut the entire company — including its sacrosanct bond insurance subsidiary, according to court documents.

Freddie Mac said it expects to offer around $1.1 billion in structured passthrough certificates (K Certificates), multifamily MBS.

Amherst Securities is advising investors to be overweight on MBS, telling them that prepayment speeds are not really a factor – despite ultra low mortgage rates.

Ambac Financial Group announced late Monday it filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

At a press conference following the European Central Bank's (ECB) rate decision last week, its President Jean-Claude Trichet said that the ECB is looking to create disincentives for banks who refinance exclusively through the bank.

DBRS hired Mike Babick for its structured finance group as a senior vice president effective Nov. 1.

Fannie Mae has named investment banker John Nichols chief risk officer for its capital markets division.

Fannie Mae said Friday that it lost $3.46 billion during the third quarter, as it paid a $2.12 billion dividend payment to the government.