Cryptocurrency development in the mortgage industry has accelerated in no small part from easing regulation and a push from FHFA Director Bill Pulte.

Lenders shouldn't expect the latest jobs numbers to yield major monetary policy moves after the unemployment rate came in mostly flat last month, experts say.

National home prices grew monthly and annually in October, but considerably less than last year, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Bank merger and acquisition activity rebounded this year, led by Fifth Third's $10.9 billion proposed purchase of Comerica. Huntington, PNC and Columbia were involved in some of the other biggest deals announced in 2025.

The national mortgage delinquency rate jumped to 3.85% in November, up 15% month over month and 2.79% year over year, according to ICE Mortgage Technology.

Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended approval of Fifth Third's $10.9 billion proposed acquisition of Comerica.

The acquisition forms the eighth largest mortgage servicer nationwide, with a combined $400 billion in mortgage servicing rights.

The industry expects resilient market conditions and fewer defaults, plus cheaper financing that supports M&A activity and more CLO issuance in 2026.

Hildene, which partners with Crosscountry Mortgage for non-QM securitizations, is doing this deal as part of its buy of an annuity provider, SILAC.

Fortress has been one of the most active home equity investment firms in November, investing $1 billion in Cornerstone.

The Tacoma, Washington-based bank, which has completed two mergers since 2023, said Thursday that it will buy back up to $700 million of its own shares over the next year.

The 30-year rate dropped just 0.2 percentage points, as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's recent comments caused Treasury yields to rise.

FHA loans accounted for about half of the annual rise in foreclosure starts and 80% of the rise in active foreclosures in September, according to ICE.

While expectations that another federal rate cut is on the way next week, other economic trends may be having a larger influence on mortgage lending.

The Buffalo-based bank said Thursday that the paring of its CRE loan book, which has nearly halved in volume over the last three years, may be near its inflection point.

Equifax will hold costs for scores from FICO rival Vantagescore through 2027 and offer other incentives meant to drive adoption of the alternative metric.

While new jobs data contributed to falling Treasury yields, mortgage rates showed a mixed picture with some trackers moving in opposite directions.

The credit scoring agency's rollout comes after years of criticism from home lenders over its prices, with delivery costs rising over 40% in the past year.

Johnson will be based in New York and joins a business development team focused on originating for Sagard's private credit business.

Mortgage applications increased 0.6% last week after jumping 29.7% the week prior, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.