ABS

John Deere is in the market with an $775.5 million equipment lease ABS called John Deere Owner Trust 2009-B.

A nonperforming second-lien portfolio with a face value of $365 million is about to change hands, according to an investment banker close to the transaction.

The Commercial Mortgage Securities Association (CMSA) said today that it strongly supports efforts to strengthen the credit ratings system but it opposes reforms – such as differentiation – that lack substance and undermine commercial real estate capital market recovery.

NewOak Capital appointed Amy Levenson as managing director and chairman of its newly formed commercial real estate loans and properties capital markets group responsible for creating and executing real estate capital market solutions for clients.

Denver-based Allonhill was approved by Standard & Poor’s to perform third-party reviews on RMBS.

Citigroup has snagged Barclays' head of U.S. leveraged loan syndications to head up its leveraged syndicate group for the Americas.

Japanese bank Nomura has reportedly appointed a former Lehman Brothers banker as its cohead of fixed income for the Americas. The bank has been increasing its U.S. staff and plans to continue expanding within fixed income.

Past and present Employees of Moody’s Investors Service take the stand today as the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform continues its investigation of credit rating agencies.

UBS said on Tuesday it hired Michael Ostow from Morgan Stanley as a managing director and head of North American insurance coverage.

Special-purpose entities are not inherently dangerous, according to a report released Tuesday.

The most recent data from HOPE NOW showed foreclosure starts dropped 21% to 224,000

A Federal Reserve Board proposal released Tuesday would clamp down on practices in the credit card industry by reining in fees, limiting card use by young borrowers and restricting rate increases.

Global advisoy firm Hodes Weill & Associates hired Robert Levinson as principal, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.

Distressed mortgage investor Kondaur Capital, Santa Ana, Calif., is open to the idea of buying a bank, according to a company spokesman.

CitiMortgage, in yet another reorganization move, has terminated its residential production chief, Brad Bunts, a 13-year veteran of the company.

BMW Financial Services is in the market with a Term ABS Loan Facility or TALF-eligible dealer floorplan offering, which is lead managed by RBS Securities.

A number of market notices have been released in Europe highlighting the risks of non-call for entities that have received government funding, according to market reports.

Bank of America has hired a former Credit Suisse banker as co-head of distressed sales and trading for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

U.S. home prices may still be off from year-ago levels, but they climbed in July for a third consecutive month, evidence that a key segment of the U.S. economy may be on the mend.

Harley Davidson is in the market with a $700 million motorcylce-backed offering that is Term ABS Loan Facility or TALF-eligible.