RMBS

The Senate late Wednesday passed a bill that gives the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)more flexibility to adjust its insurance premium structure, a move that will help rebuild its depleted capital reserves.

The recently published covered bond graduated valuation haircut schedule from the European Central Bank (ECB) did not take the market by surprise, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts.

Through its proposals on Regulation AB, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will be subjecting privately sold ABS to the disclosure requirements applicable to securities offered in registered public offerings.

American Capital Agency Corp. (AGNC) named Christopher Kuehl as head of mortgage investments at American Capital Agency Management.

Jefferies appointed Erez Biala as a managing director and global co-head of CLO and CDO trading.

A small private-label 'scratch and dent' securitization backed by government reverse mortgages appears to be the first deal of this type, and could pave the way for more reverse MBS deals in the struggling private-label market.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has accepted settlement offers from three former officers of New Century Financial Corp., the subprime lender that was one of the first to collapse at the start of the subprime mortgage crisis.

The American Securitization Forum (ASF) and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) expressed their support for Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposals designed to increase transparency in the securitization markets, although, at the same time, the groups also aired some of their reservations.

The recent financial crisis and its aftermath have raised fundamental questions about the future of the U.S. housing market and the GSEs.

Russia's mortgage-finance market is sloughing off the toxic residue of the financial crisis, but the strength of the comeback is being largely conditioned by government support.