The Lede

CNBC, Apr. 17, 2019--Diana OlickMortgage applications to purchase a home rose 1% last week from the previous week and were 7% higher than a year ago. Purchase applications reached their highest level since April 2010.

Bloomberg, Apr. 17, 2019--Christopher MaloneyWhile mortgage bond investors benefited from a dearth of net issuance during the first quarter, the supply drought may be coming to an end. (MBA mention)

Washington Post, Apr. 17, 2019--Hamza ShabanGay couples were 73 percent more likely to be denied a mortgage than heterosexual couples with the same financial worthiness, according to an analysis of national mortgage data from 1990 to 2015. The study, published Tuesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also found that when same-sex couples were approved for a home loan, they were given inferior terms. On average, they paid 0.2 percent more in interest and fees, which adds up to as much as $86 million a year, the researchers said.

American Banker, Apr. 17, 2019--Laura Alix (subscription)Growth in commercial lending, mortgage lending and some payments businesses helped U.S. Bancorp match profit expectations for the first quarter.

Wall Street Journal, Apr. 17, 2019--David Benoit (subscription)JPMorgan Chase & Co. put two women with decades of experience at the bank at the top of the list to one day succeed James Dimon as chief executive.

National Mortgage News, Apr. 17, 2019--Neil Haggerty (subscription)The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau should be focused on preventing consumer harm rather than merely handing fines against companies, Director Kathy Kraninger said Wednesday.

Urban Institute, Apr. 17, 2019--Alanna McCargo, Sara StrochakThe authors found data show that small-dollar mortgage borrowers have comparable credit profiles to borrowers of midsize mortgages and that the loans perform similarly.

National Mortgage Professional, Apr. 17, 2019--Phil HallHerman Cain has refuted press reports that he was planning to withdraw from consideration for a position on the Federal Reserve Board, despite reportedly not having enough Senate votes for confirmation.

HousingWire, Apr. 17, 2019--Ben LaneReali, a flat-fee real estate startup that operates in California, is following the path laid out by other tech-focused real estate companies like Zillow, Redfin, and Opendoor and getting into the mortgage business. Reali announced Wednesday that it acquired Lenda, an online mortgage lender that launched in 2013 and currently operates in 12 states.