GSEs

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now able to buy loans in forbearance to alleviate pressure on the sector, but the fees charged by the mortgage giants to assume more risk could turn away some originators.

The FHFA's director said the announcement is meant to “combat ongoing misinformation” about efforts to let homeowners skip mortgage payments due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A credit union-specific liquidity backstop is far less popular than other options such as the Federal Reserve's discount window. The National Credit Union Administration wants to change that.

The policy move will allow small institutions participating in the Paycheck Protection Program to pledge business loans as collateral to obtain advances.

The FHFA will allow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, for a limited time, to purchase loans for which the borrower has sought to postpone payments because of the economic effects of the coronavirus.

Efforts to calm lenders’ fears about coronavirus-related forbearance may not offset tightening standards, and the FHA is less likely to boost volume than it was during the financial crisis.

The agency said it is aligning policies for Fannie Mae- and Freddie Mac-backed loans in forbearance so that servicers are only responsible for advancing four months of missed payments.

The Borrower Protection Program enables the two agencies to exchange information about loss mitigation efforts and consumer complaints regarding specific servicers.

At issue is whether the U.S. should step in now to save nonbank mortgage servicers to head off damage to the housing market.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers wrote in a letter to the Treasury secretary that the Financial Stability Oversight Council should create a liquidity facility to deal with a flood of forbearance requests brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency authorized the government-sponsored enterprises to lend additional support to the mortgage-backed securities market and temporarily allow some flexibility in lending requirements to address coronavirus-related concerns.

Mark Calabria said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are currently equipped to handle elevated delinquencies, but they might need congressional or Federal Reserve help if fallout from the coronavirus persists.

An effort by the Federal Housing Finance Agency to examine membership rules for the Federal Home Loan Bank System is reigniting an argument over whether to allow more nonbanks in or impose tougher barriers.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency authorized the government-sponsored enterprises to contribute $502.2 million to two funds that help preserve and build affordable housing.

Freddie Mac elevated Corley to executive vice president and head of its single-family business, putting her permanently in the role she occupied since last October.

Tidjane Thiam submits his resignation; the two agencies said they will soon start accepting mortgages tied to the new rate and drop Libor by yearend.

The bank’s former Asia investment banking co-chief is its third executive to be so punished; the agency says Telegram’s digital coin is a security.

In letters to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, six Democrats asked how the mortgage giants are factoring extreme weather into their risk modeling.

The bank would make small-business loans on the online retailer’s platform; Fed survey says banks worry about increasing delinquencies, especially in subprime.

With policymakers focused on ending Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s conservatorship, their regulator is reorganizing key units and adding staff to position itself for the long term.