The Lede

Mortgage Orb, Dec. 12, 2018--Patrick BarnardPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday announced his intent to nominate Mark Calabria - who currently serves as chief economist for Vice President Mike Pence - to replace Mel Watt as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. (MBA mention)

CNBC, Dec. 12, 2018--Diana OlickDecember may be a slow month traditionally for the housing market, but mortgage lenders are suddenly getting busier. A sharp drop in interest rates drove mortgage application volume up 1.6 percent last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association's seasonally adjusted index.

American Banker, Dec. 12, 2018--Rachel Witkowski (subscription)Mortgages held by national banks has diminished by nearly half since the financial crisis, to $3.26 trillion in the third quarter, according to a report by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

The Mortgage Leader, Dec. 12, 2018Lenders pessimistic about their ability to generate profits has fallen to an all-time low.According to Fannie Mae's Q4 2018 Mortgage Lender Sentiment Survey, the outlook for profit among lenders established a low across all loan types-GSE-eligible, non-GSE-eligible and government.

Real Crowd Podcast, Dec. 12, 2018--Tyler StewartMortgage Bankers Association Vice President of Research and Economics Jamie Woodwell joined the RealCrowd podcast to discuss the current state of the economy and what to look for as we head into 2019.

Marketplace, Dec. 12, 2018--Amy ScottThe 30-year mortgage is by far the most popular home loan in the country, making up almost 90 percent of new applications. That's partly because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provide a steady stream of funding for those loans. But not everyone is a fan.

National Mortgage Professional, Dec. 12, 2018--Phil HallSingle women own 22 percent of U.S. homes, compared to the 13 percent share owned by single men, according to new data from LendingTree.

HousingWire, Dec. 12, 2018--Ben LaneThere's a new unicorn in the fintech space, as Plaid announced this week that it raised $250 million in its Series C funding round at a reported valuation of $2.65 billion.

American Banker, Dec. 12, 2018--John Reosti (subscription)A controversial accounting standard is facing strong resistance in the House Financial Services Committee that will likely intensify when Democrats gain control of the panel.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Technology Solutions Conference & Expo 2019 takes place Mar. 24-27 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Technology Solutions Conference & Expo 2019 takes place Mar. 24-27 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.

The Mortgage Bankers Association's Technology Solutions Conference & Expo 2019 takes place Mar. 24-27 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.