RMBS

Markit plans to launch an MBX agency mortgage bond index on Sept. 12. The new Index offers investors exposure to both interest-only swaps and principle-only cash flows.

Mortgage servicers completed 120,350 proprietary loan modifications in July and 757,750 for the first seven months of this year, according to new figures released by the HOPE NOW Alliance.

MetLife Bank plans to officially launch its new warehouse lending division in the fourth quarter and is in the process of hiring between four and six additional staffers for the business.

The U.K. Financial Services Authority (FSA) will apply banking book risk weights to securitization trading positions following the position adopted under the capital requirements directive (CRD 3) passed by the European Parliament at the end of July.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) Chairman Sheila Bair said Tuesday the agency would soon publish an interim rule on its new resolution authority over systemically important banking companies and certain nonbanks.

Cole Real Estate Investments hired William Broms as director of acquisitions. The move was announced by Marc Nemer, president of the firm.

Mortgage bankers originated $25.9 billion of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed mortgages in July, down nearly 2% from June, according to new figures released by the agency.

Mortgage rates continue to set new record lows with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate based on the Freddie Mac'sweekly survey dropping to below 4.40% with the no-points rate slightly over 4.50%.

The securitization market just can't seem to get a break. From tougher regulations to a battered economy, our industry seems at times to be facing an all-out assault.

Loan modifications are being credited with playing a key role in the improving delinquency picture for home mortgages, but housing economists and analysts caution that the industry isn't out of the woods quite yet.