1,000 Cuts to Dodd-Frank: Senate Bill Part of Deregulation Wave

Bloomberg, Mar. 15, 2018–Yalman OnaranSince President Donald Trump signed an executive order last year seeking ways to ease banking rules prompted by the global financial crisis, much has happened–but not much has been completed.

House Will Not Pass Current Senate Bill Easing Bank Rules: Hensarling

Reuters, Mar. 15, 2018–Pete SchroederThe House of Representatives will not approve a bill easing bank rules passed by the Senate without additional provisions that would further relax regulations introduced after the 2007-2009 financial crisis, a leading lawmaker said on Thursday. The comments by Representative Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, inject new uncertainty into Congress’ first bipartisan attempt to rewrite the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law.

Housing Market Needs an Explicit Government Guarantee

American Banker, Mar. 14, 2018–David StevensMBA President and CEO rebuts a recent op-ed calling for recapitalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, asserting such a strategy would “decimate the ability of community banks and smaller lenders to participate in the secondary mortgage market.”

The Senate Rolls Back Rules Meant to Root Out Discrimination by Mortgage Lenders

Washington Post, Mar. 14, 2018–Tracy JanThe mortgage industry says the proposed deregulation would cut costs and help smaller community banks remain competitive, enabling them to make even more loans. The Mortgage Bankers Association estimates that expanded data would still be collected on 95 percent of loans.

Ginnie Mae Venture with Chicago FHLB Crosses Mortgage Milestone

National Mortgage News, Mar. 14, 2018–Brian Collins (subscription)A mortgage program created by a 2015 partnership between the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago and Ginnie Mae recently crossed a milestone with over $1 billion in government-backed mortgages securitized through the venture, the partnership announced Wednesday.

Is CMBS Underwriting Getting Loose?

National Real Estate Investor, Mar. 14, 2018–Mary DiduchThe spread between the cap rates used by Moody’s Investors Services, Morningstar Credit Ratings and S&P Global Ratings on conduit loans and the market is widening.

Ten Years After the Bear Stearns Bailout, Nobody Thinks It Would Happen Again

Wall Street Journal, Mar. 13, 2018–Justin Baer, Ryan Tracy (subscription)Ten years ago Wednesday, that was Bear Stearns Cos., a once-storied firm whose excessive leverage had helped put it on the brink. The Federal Reserve tried to limit the damage with extraordinary actions, first extending the firm credit before forcing it into a hasty weekend shotgun marriage to JPMorgan.