The Lede

CNBC, Jan. 3, 2018--Diana OlickOptimism over the tax bill resulted in higher interest rates, and that caused total mortgage application volume to drop 2.8 percent in the last two weeks of 2017. The Mortgage Bankers Association included an adjustment for the Christmas holiday.

Dow Jones Newswires, Jan. 3, 2018--AnnaMaria Andriotis, Christina Rexrode (Wall Street Journal)Banks and rival lenders are butting heads over the credit scores used to decide millions of mortgage requests by U.S. home buyers. Now, the Federal Housing Finance Agency is weighing whether to step into the fight.

Dayton Daily News, Jan. 3, 2018--Max FilbyThe attorneys general of 49 states and Washington, D.C., reached a multi-million-dollar settlement with PHH Mortgage accused of improperly servicing loans.

Wall Street Journal, Jan. 3, 2018--Nick Timiraos (subscription)Federal Reserve officials in December debated whether new tax cuts would require them to raise short-term interest rates faster this year, after lifting them three times last year.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 3, 2018--Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Lower mortgage loan origination volume in 2018, on top of 2017's decline, will lead to further reduction in title insurer profitability and a possible increase of merger activity.

HousingWire, Jan. 3, 2018--Kelsey RamirezAfter steadily climbing for the past 13 years, the population of renters decreased for the first time since 2004, according to the Annual Rent Report from ABODO, an apartment listing service.

Reuters, Jan. 3, 2018--Rob Nickel, David Ljunggren, Sue Thomas, Lesley WroughtonThe Canadian government on Wednesday criticized the United States for a decision to impose duties on certain softwood lumber exports and underlined its determination to fight the move.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 3, 2018Comprising the total are $318.159 billion in Ginnie Mae loans, $242.304 billion in Freddie Mac mortgages and $201.083 billion in Fannie Mae loans.

Mortgage Compliance Magazine, January 2018--Tory Barringer (subscription)After 32 years at HUD and another 13 years at the Mortgage Bankers Association, Ken Markison has retired from the public life to launch his own consulting practice.

Mortgage Daily, Jan. 3, 2018HECM production by FHA mortgagees was slightly stronger compared to the final month of 2016, when the agency endorsed 4,658 reverse mortgages.

National Mortgage News, Jan. 3, 2018--Brian Collins (subscription)More than 100 pending Trump administration nominees must update their financial disclosures and have the White House resubmit their names for consideration by the Senate, including Fed Chair-designate Jerome Powell and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chair-designate Jelena McWilliams.

Commercial Observer, Jan. 3, 2018--Mack BurkeFannie Mae and Freddie Mac have recently set multifamily lending records, but in the current multifamily market environment, that volume and competition could create a problem--and a slowdown may be on the way.