Consumer lending

Mortgage delinquencies in areas affected by Hurricane Harvey last month were 16% higher than in July, according to Black Knight Financial Services.

The Equifax breach has millions of Americans now thinking about freezing their credit to guard against identity theft. But those who act could be cutting themselves off from the nation's vast credit economy.

Mortgage investors want Freddie Mac to align its policy with Fannie Mae's when it comes to how delinquencies related to Hurricane Harvey affect credit risk transfer deals.

Investor demand for mortgage bonds is strong; the only limiting factors are consumer awareness of the product and loan officers' willingness to offer them.

The $426.2 million COLT 2017-2 is backed entirely by loans originated by Caliber, an affiliate of private equity firm Lone Star Funds. There are no loans originated by Sterling Bank & Trust, which accounted for 22% of the collateral for the prior deal.

The credit quality of the collateral is lower, by several metrics, than that of Exeter's prior deal; however, S&P Global expects cumulative net losses to be in the same range, from 20.1%-21.1%.

Ford Motor Credit, GM Financial and Fifth Third Bancorp are marketing a combined $3.4 billion in prime auto loan and lease asset-backed securities, according to presale reports published Thursday.

Given the scale of damage to the region’s homes and cars, bankers are guarding against an expected spike in missed payments by extending loan terms, deferring payments and making other concessions.

An artificial intelligence model predicted creditworthiness more accurately than traditional models in an experiment conducted by the auto lender. The technology someday could be used to find hidden gems among loan applicants — emphasis on the someday.

As Republicans policymakers pursue efforts to revamp the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and replace its leadership, state agencies are already preparing to fill any vacuum that might ensue if the CFPB steps back.