#mortgage finance – Federal Financial Analytics

23 03, 2023

DAILY032323

Eliza Allen2023-03-23T17:09:59-04:00March 23rd, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

OFR Study Predicts Household Gains, Banking Instability From Digital Currencies

A new OFR working paper concludes that full integration of digital currencies into the economy would reduce financial-system volatility and improve household welfare, but also increase the probability of a banking crisis.

HFSC Poses Still Tougher SVB/SBNY Resolution Questions

Following tough GOP letters to the Fed and FDIC earlier this week, HFSC Chairman McHenry (R-NC) and Subcommittee Chair Hill (R-AR) last night sent even sterner missives to Chairman Gruenberg and Secretary Yellen.

Bipartisan Push Begins For CEO Clawbacks

Ahead of its first of many hearings on the collapse of SVB and SBNY, Senate Banking Chairman Brown (D-OH) and Ranking Member Scott (R-SC) today sent letters to the former CEOs of the banks demanding that they answer for the bank failures, noting also that they will be expected to testify before the Committee if they are unable to do so next week.

OFR Blog: CRE, Residential Markets Pose Little Systemic Risk

Despite growing concerns about CRE and even potential systemic risk, an OFR blog post today concludes that neither the residential nor commercial real estate market poses a significant threat to the financial system.

Basel Stands By Its Rules, Contemplates New Supervisory Standards

The Basel Committee’s release following its March 14 meeting unsurprisingly notes the bank failures preceding it just days before, but attributes them principally to poor risk management in the face of rising rates.

GSEs Seek Public Comment on Credit Score Model Transition

The FHFA today announced…

20 03, 2023

FedFin on: The Collateral Damage of the Banking Crisis

Eliza Allen2023-03-20T14:30:07-04:00March 20th, 2023|The Vault|

In this report, we build on FedFin’s in-depth reports about recent bank failures to detail new risks for all of the innocent bystanders in the U.S. mortgage market along with a not so-innocent bystander: the Federal Home Loan Banks. We note also some take-aways FHFA may draw from the crisis with regard to GSE regulation, resolution, and supervision. In short, things will be different assuming they don’t get worse and then still more of a paradigm shift.

The full report is available to retainer clients. To find out how you can sign up for the service, click here and here.…

20 03, 2023

GSE-032023

Eliza Allen2023-03-20T13:51:11-04:00March 20th, 2023|4- GSE Activity Report|

The Collateral Damage Of The Banking Crisis

In this report, we build on FedFin’s in-depth reports about recent bank failures to detail new risks for all of the innocent bystanders in the U.S. mortgage market along with a not so-innocent bystander: the Federal Home Loan Banks. We note also some take-aways FHFA may draw from the crisis with regard to GSE regulation, resolution, and supervision. In short, things will be different assuming they don’t get worse and then still more of a paradigm shift.

GSE-032023.pdf…

15 03, 2023

DAILY031523

Eliza Allen2023-03-15T16:58:30-04:00March 15th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

Waters Reiterates ICE/BKI Opposition

HFSC Ranking Member Waters (D-CA) released a statement today applauding the FTC’s move to block Intercontinental Exchange from acquiring the mortgage software company Black Knight.

Progressives Press For Tailoring Redo

Cementing prior denouncements of 2018 Dodd-Frank “rollbacks” into legislative action, 17 Democratic senators and 31 House Members today took direct aim at Trump-era banking policy by introducing legislation that would repeal Title IV of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act.

Bowman Presses Small-Bank Mergers, Climate Caution, Third-Party Guardrails

In remarks today, FRB Governor Bowman noted that delays in merger reviews cause significant operational and reputational risks and suggested considering all competitors when evaluating a small bank merger’s competitive effect to reduce delays.

New CFPB RFI Brings Data Brokers Under Scrutiny

Ahead of a planned rulemaking, the CFPB today released an RFI seeking comments on the business practices of data brokers, focusing on new business models to determine if certain practices fall under the scope of FCRA.

Warren, Blumenthal Call on DOJ, SEC to Investigate SVB

Although media reports indicate that an investigation is already under way, Sens. Warren (D-MA) and Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter today to Attorney General Garland and SEC Chairman Gensler urging them to investigate senior SVB officials if they are not already doing so.

FHFA Delays New DTI-Based Upfront Fee

Following an announcement this January that FHFA would implement changes to Fannie and Freddie’s single-family pricing framework, Director Thompson today announced that the Agency will delay the effective …

10 03, 2023

DAILY031023

Eliza Allen2023-03-10T16:57:08-05:00March 10th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

Anti-Woke Is Worse Than Woke When It Comes To Financial Distortion

A new study released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago concludes that anti-woke policies distort financial outcomes by looking at 2021 Texas law prohibiting municipalities from conducting certain businesses with financial institutions that violated the law’s anti-woke criteria.

CFPB Opens Mortgage Servicing to Regulatory Rewrite

The CFPB today published an RFI seeking the effect of TILA mortgage loan originator rules on small businesses as part of a regular ten-year review.

FedFin Assessment: SVB’s Failure And Its Aftermath

As clients will recall, we predicted Silvergate’s failure, but not its contagion risk for Silicon Valley Bank, which failed earlier this morning following the combination of a run and capital shortfall.

SVB Rumors Stoke Treasury Response

Following the sudden failure of Silicon Valley Bank, Treasury Secretary Yellen today convened the heads of the Fed, FDIC, and OCC to discuss its ramifications.

Congress Begins SVB Inquiry

In the first of a series of statements sure to come from Congress, HFSC Ranking Member Waters (D-CA) today said that she was alarmed by the collapse of SVB and that she is monitoring and convening Committee members with regulators.

Daily031023.pdf…

9 03, 2023

GSE-030923

Eliza Allen2023-03-09T15:28:01-05:00March 9th, 2023|4- GSE Activity Report|

Now What?

As detailed in our reports earlier this week on Powell’s appearance before Senate Banking and HFSC, much was said about the pending rewrite of big-bank capital standards. As we’ve noted, this matters a lot to the comparative advantage of GSEs, nonbank mortgage players, and banks large and small. As a result, we here go in depth on what Powell said – and mostly didn’t – about what’s next on these critical standards.

GSE-030923.pdf…

8 03, 2023

DAILY030823

Eliza Allen2023-03-08T17:06:14-05:00March 8th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

HFSC Plans Broad Attack, Limited Legislation to Rewrite Administration Crypto Standards

The HFSC staff memo makes it clear that the Digital Asset Subcommittee hearing on Thursday will be a strong general GOP attack on Biden Administration crypto policy and specific campaign against the SEC’s enforcement-focused strategy.

HFSC Plans to Blast CFPB, Press Limited Change

Thursday’s HFSC Monetary Policy Subcommittee hearing on the CFPB is sure to be a raucous, partisan affair judging by the staff memo describing it. Republicans have strongly objected to the Bureau before its inception, with concerns sharply heightened by a series of recent actions under Director Chopra.

CFPB Slams Fees, Promises Mercy

Ahead of a meeting later today between senior White House officials, Director Chopra, and hundreds of state legislators concerning the President’s “junk fee” agenda, the CFPB today released Supervisory Highlights focusing on recent instances of what it deems unlawful junk fees in deposit accounts, auto loan servicing, mortgage servicing, payday lending, and student loan servicing.

GAO Doubts Fintech’s Inclusion Advantage

The GAO today released a report finding that fintech may enhance inclusion, but that this inclusion comes at risk due to the patchwork of rules governing firms offering products – e.g., wage advances – that may put vulnerable households at risk.

HFSC Republicans Scrutinize SEC Rulemaking, Fed Climate Policy

As anticipated, today’s HFSC Subcommittee Hearing with the inspectors-general for the FRB, CFPB, Treasury, and SEC focused on GOP attacks on the SEC’s IG vacancy and the CFPB’s funding mechanism.

Brown, Others Demand ABA …

28 02, 2023

DAILY022823

Eliza Allen2023-02-28T17:16:34-05:00February 28th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

CFPB Treads Gingerly on Mortgage-Disclosure Exceptions

In a notice emphasizing the CFPB’s distaste for allowing regulatory exceptions, the Bureau asks for comment on an application for one to which it seems a bit more sympathetic.

FDIC Sees Sunny Side of Bank Earnings Data

In its review of banking-industry fourth-quarter results, the FDIC today notes a sharp increase in the gap between bank loan yield and deposit interest costs.

Basel Forecasts End-Game Capital Shortfalls

The Basel Committee today issued its latest monitoring report, finding that large global banks saw capital decreases to pre-pandemic levels even as liquidity ratios continued to improve.

Bipartisan China Bills Fly Through HFSC Markup

As anticipated, HFSC today reported five bills to censure China and protect Taiwan, along with bills addressing drug-trafficking financing, biomedical security and bank service company examinations.

Democrats Stand Firm versus Privacy Preemption

Following an orderly and bipartisan start to today’s HFSC markup, Democrats and Republicans today came to verbal blows over the Chairman’s data privacy bill.

Daily022823.pdf…

27 02, 2023

DAILY022723

Eliza Allen2023-02-27T16:39:49-05:00February 27th, 2023|2- Daily Briefing|

FRB-NY: CRA Now Makes No Measurable Difference

As the banking agencies wrestle with their still-unfinished CRA rule (see FSM Report CRA32), the Federal Reserve Bank of New York today released a staff report concluding that the law has little to no impact on like-kind household credit in target areas. Using data available only to the Fed, the report finds that banks largely meet CRA in target areas by acquiring existing mortgage loans, not making new ones.

SCOTUS Re CFPB Has Broad Ramifications

In a case with significant implications not only for the CFPB, but also other financial agencies, the Supreme Court today agreed to review the Fifth Circuit’s decision invalidating CFPB funding via transfers from the Federal Reserve’s income rather than annual Congressional appropriation.

CFPB Puts A Repeat Offender Out Of Business

Wielding the hammer Director Chopra claimed when he announced his campaign against repeat offenders, the CFPB today used the powers it argues derive from its authorizing law (see FSM Report CONSUMER14) to put a nonbank mortgage lender out of business. In this case, RMK Financial was found to have persistently violated a 2015 agreement under consumer-finance laws and rules to mislead veterans about the terms of their VA and FHA mortgages.

Daily022723.pdf…

24 02, 2023

FedFin on: Custody Reform

Arezou Rafikian2023-02-24T16:53:29-05:00February 24th, 2023|The Vault|

Making full use of powers granted in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, the SEC is proposing a wholesale rewrite of the rules dictating how investment advisers must place assets in custody and which institutions are considered qualified for this purpose. Although the proposal was sparked first by controversies surrounding custody for cryptoassets and then by significant investment losses, the NPR reaches most assets held in the direct or indirect possession of investment advisers or to which the adviser may gain possession, also redefining qualified custodians to exclude not only most crypto platforms, but also foreign firms and other entities the Commission believes do not ensure sufficient safeguards protecting investor assets in the event of the adviser’s malfeasance, insolvency, or operational failure….

The full report is available to retainer clients. To find out how you can sign up for the service, click here and here.…