Category: Top National News

Reuters, Mar. 31, 2017–Jonathan SpicerThe Federal Reserve could begin shrinking its $4.5-trillion balance sheet as soon as this year, earlier than most economists expect, New York Fed President William Dudley said on Friday in the central bank’s most definitive comments on the question that looms over financial markets.

Wall Street Journal, Mar. 31, 2017–Eric Morath (subscription)The U.S. economy reached an important milestone in February when consumer inflation exceeded the Federal Reserve’s target for a 2% annual gain for the first time in nearly five years.

National Mortgage News, Mar. 31, 2017–Brad Finkelstein (subscription)Risk management concerns were responsible for a five-percentage-point reduction in bank non-qualified mortgage lending last year, a new report said.

HousingWire, Mar. 31, 2017–Ben LaneMorgan Stanley handed out nearly $200 million in consumer relief over the past few months, pushing the company past the 75% mark in its $400 million consumer relief obligation that is part of the $3.2 billion mortgage bond settlement it reached last year.

Forbes, Apr. 2, 2017–Olivier GarretA small but growing group of hedge funds are positioning themselves to profit from the collapse of the real estate market. But this time, hedge funds (along with Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley) aren’t targeting subprime mortgages–they’re going after commercial real estate.

Mortgage Daily, Apr. 3, 2017U.S. home lenders originated an estimated $517 billion during the final-three months of 2016, according to data collected for the Mortgage Daily Fourth Quarter 2016 Mortgage Origination Survey.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 31, 2017–Sam GarciaLast year, state-licensed mortgage loan originators generated $1.060 trillion is residential loan production. Volume climbed by a fifth from 2015.

Mortgage Daily, Mar. 31, 2017New mortgage activity was depressed over the past week, and it was purchase-money business that was out front of the decline. Adjustable-rate activity, though, grew.

Washington Post, Mar. 30, 2017–Kathy OrtonMortgage rates tumbled for the second week as long-term bond yields fell to their lowest level in a month. “Markets adjusted expectations last week as attempts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act stalled and bond yields declined,” Mortgage Bankers Association Vice President Lynn Fisher said.

National Real Estate Investor, Mar. 29, 2017–Diana BellReal estate economists and researchers share their advice for today’s commercial real estate investors.