In its second of three estimates of real gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the first quarter released Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) issued a downward revision of what analysts had already deemed "paltry" growth of 0.2 percent in the advance estimate for Q1 reported at the end of April. According to the BEA's second estimate for Q1, which is based on more complete source data than were available for the advance estimate, the GDP contracted at an annual rate of minus 0.7 percent.
Read More »Study Reveals Impact of Payment Stress with Repayment of $265 Billion HELOCs
Experian Information Solutions Inc., a global information services company, recently released its latest analysis on U.S. lending trends related to home-equity lines of credit (HELOC). The study found that HELOC loans that originated between 2005 and 2008, representing $265 billion, are outstanding and are nearing the end-of-draw repayment phase.
Read More »Congress Requests TRID Grace Period
Representative Carolyn B. Maloney (D-New York), Andy Barr (R-Kentucky), along with 252 other House Members have wrote a letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) requesting a grace period that would help lenders and home buyers comply with new TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure regulation. Congress members argue that the rule will place challenges on the entire housing industry and families that are looking to buy a home before the school year begins.
Read More »JPMorgan Chase’s RMBS Settlement of $500 Million Approved With Pension Funds
A federal judge has approved JPMorgan Chase's $500 million settlement with four pension funds over the sale of faulty mortgage-backed securities by Wall Street investment firm Bear Stearns before the financial crisis, according to media reports. JPMorgan Chase, the nation's largest bank, acquired Bear Stearns in March 2008 at a stock-only price of $236 million, or $2 per share. In their lawsuit, the pension funds accused Bear Stearns of selling $17.6 billion worth of toxic mortgage-backed securities in the run-up to the crisis.
Read More »FDIC-Insured Banks Earn $39.8 Billion for Q1 2015
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) reported in a recent press release that commercial banks and saving institutions insured by the corporation aggregate net income was $39.8 billion for Q1 2015, a 6.9 percent or $2.6 billion increase from the previous year.
Read More »Financial Prospects Gain Optimism for Future, Fed Survey says
Individuals' optimism regarding future financial prospects increased substantially from 2013 to 2014, while perceptions of current financial well-being improved only modestly, according to a survey conducted by the Federal Reserve released Wednesday. The Fed's 2014 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, which was completed by about 5,800 individuals last fall to provide insight into various aspects of Americans' personal finances such as economic security, banking, credit access and usage, housing, household debt (including education and student loan debt), savings, and preparedness for retirement.
Read More »Survey Finds that Homebuyers Want Confidence in Credit Scores
According to a recent survey from Experian Consumer Services, 95 percent of homebuyers are aware that credit scores play a significant role when purchasing a home, and those who know their credit scores feel more prepared to buy. In addition, 45 percent of future homebuyers say they put off buying a home in order to work on their credit so that they can qualify for better interest rates.
Read More »Strong Buyer Demand Driving Nearly 80 Percent of Top 100 U.S. Housing Markets
The Multi-Indicator Market Index (MiMi) released monthly by Freddie Mac, revealed today that the housing market is continuing to stabilize with the most improving metro markets seeing stronger demand for home sales for the spring homebuying season.
Read More »Moody’s Downgrades $2.7 million of FHA/VA RMBS issued by Fannie Mae
Moody's Investors Service recently released a rating action report revealing that it has downgraded the ratings of three tranches issued from Fannie Mae REMIC Trust 2001-W3.
Read More »Morgan Stanley: Increased Interest Rates on Track to Occur Later This Year
Morgan Stanley recently released a report discussing the minutes from the April 28-29 Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting titled, “FOMC: Resolve Stirred, Not Shaken” written by Ellen Zentner, chief U.S. economist at Morgan Stanley.
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