U.S. mortgage rates fell significantly this week after the Trump administration initiated purchases of mortgage-backed securities to boost housing affordability. The average rate ?on the popular 30-year fixed-rate mortgage declined to 6.06%, ?the lowest level since September 2022, ?from 6.16% last week, mortgage finance ?agency Freddie ?Mac said on Thursday.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday said the goal of the Trump administration's launch of mortgage-backed securities purchases is to roughly match the rate at which those bonds are rolling off the Federal Reserve's balance sheet.
* Treasury's Bessent: MBS buybacks aim to match Fed's $15 bln monthly roll-off. * Trump orders $200 bln bond purchases to address housing affordability. * Bessent: Buybacks may boost Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac earnings. By David Lawder.
Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte said ?on Friday a $3 ?billion mortgage bond buy ?had been put ?in ?already the day ?after President ?Donald Trump ordered his representatives to ?buy $200 ?billion ?in mortgage bonds to bring down housing costs.
U.S. President Donald Trump's order for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds raises doubts about their privatization plans, analysts say. Fannie and Freddie, created by the U.S. Congress ?to support the housing market, have been under government control since their bailout during the ?global financial crisis of 2008.
U.S. President Donald Trump's order for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds raises doubts about their privatization plans, analysts say. Fannie and Freddie, created by the U.S. Congress ?to support the housing market, have been under government control since their bailout during the ?global financial crisis of 2008.
The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. - U.S. President Donald Trump ?said he had ordered ?Fannie Mae and ?Freddie Mac to buy up to $200 billion ?in mortgage-backed bonds, ?a move aimed at easing home purchases.
* Pulte says Fannie, Freddie have plenty of liquidity for bond purchase. * Affordability a key political issue in Trump's second term. * Pulte declines to give timeline, details on MBS purchases. By Ann Saphir. WASHINGTON, Jan 8 - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he is ordering his representatives to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds to bring down housing costs.
By Ann Saphir. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he is ordering his representatives to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds to bring down housing costs. "Because I chose not to sell Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in my First Term ... it is now worth many times that amount - AN ABSOLUTE FORTUNE - and has $200 BILLION DOLLARS IN CASH," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte said Fannie Mae and ?Freddie Mac have "hundreds of ?billions of dollars worth of ?liquidity" with which the ?agencies ?can carry out President Donald ?Trump's directive ?to buy mortgage-backed securities to bolster the housing ?market.
U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte ?said on Thursday ?he expects President ?Donald Trump will ?make ?a decision in the ?next month ?or two on whether to ?sell a ?piece ?of the U.S. mortgage agencies Fannie Mae ?and Freddie Mac in an initial public offering.
By Chris Prentice and Marisa Taylor. A mortgage fraud probe of a Democratic congressman began last month after William Pulte, the Republican head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, referred allegations from a conservative news site to his agency's inspector general for possible criminal investigation, government emails seen by Reuters show.
By Chris Prentice and Marisa Taylor. A mortgage fraud probe of a Democratic congressman began last month after William Pulte, the Republican head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, referred allegations from a conservative news site to his agency's inspector general for possible criminal investigation, government emails seen by Reuters show.
A mortgage fraud probe of a Democratic congressman began last month after William Pulte, the Republican head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, referred allegations from a conservative news site to his agency's inspector general for possible criminal investigation, government emails seen by Reuters show.
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp (FMCC) : * FREDDIE MAC PRESIDENT MIKE HUTCHINS TO REMAIN PRESIDENT; FREDDIE MAC NAMES NEW CEO, KENNY M. SMITH Source text: Further company coverage:
Investor Michael Burry, known for "The Big Short," said on Monday he owns sizable positions in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and expects them to rise materially if the U.S. mortgage finance giants are taken public again through initial public offerings.
Investor Michael Burry, known for "The Big Short," said on Monday he owns sizable positions in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and expects them to rise materially if the U.S. mortgage finance giants are taken public again through initial public offerings.
The U.S. Congress' watchdog said this week it will investigate whether Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte abused his position and government resources to accuse President Donald Trump's perceived enemies of crimes, according to a letter from the agency reviewed by Reuters.
Pershing Square Capital Management founder Bill Ackman said on Tuesday that proposals to sell a piece of the U.S. mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in an initial public offering is not possible in the short term.
Pershing Square Capital Management founder Bill Ackman said on Tuesday that proposals to sell a piece of the U.S. mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in an initial public offering is not possible in the short term. "The sale of a piece of these companies to the public is neither feasible nor desirable at this moment," Ackman said during a presentation posted on X on Tuesday.
* Fannie Mae officials found no clear evidence of fraud against James. * James faces charges of bank fraud, denies allegations. * Pulte accused of abusing position to target James. By Sarah N. Lynch and Andrew Goudsward.
Eight Democratic U.S. senators on Monday asked a congressional watchdog to "promptly" investigate whether Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte misused his authority by making criminal referrals against perceived opponents of President Donald Trump.
SLM Corp (SLM): * SALLIE MAE LAUNCHES PRIVATE CREDIT STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH KKR. * SALLIE MAE - KKR TO PURCHASE $2 BILLION IN EDUCATION LOANS ANNUALLY Source text: Further company coverage:
Walker & Dunlop Inc (WD): * Walker & Dunlop Inc (WD) - ARRANGES $625.3 MILLION LOANS FROM FREDDIE MAC TO REFINANCE EIGHT MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES IN SIX HIGH-GROWTH U.S. MARKETS Source text: Further company coverage:
The political appointee leveling fraud accusations against perceived opponents of President Donald Trump enlisted a man who'd once been convicted of a felony sex offense as a consultant to mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, according to six people familiar with the role.
MFA acquired $1.2 bln of residential mortgage assets, including $453 mln of Non-QM loans and $473 mln of Agency MBS at attractive yields
* CREDIT LOSSES - Distributable earnings impacted by ...
By Sarah N. Lynch, Chris Prentice and Marisa Taylor. The internal watchdog for the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency is being removed from his role, four people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the housing regulator is playing a role in President Donald Trump's targeting of perceived political enemies.
The internal watchdog for the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency is being removed from his role, four people familiar with the matter said, at a time when the housing regulator is playing a role in President Donald Trump's targeting of perceived political enemies.
-U.S.?government-sponsored mortgage enterprise Fannie Mae has cut more than 62 jobs across departments, including Information Technology,?and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte said on Thursday. "We, like any business, must eliminate positions that are not core, or otherwise, to mortgages and new home sales.
U.S. government-sponsored mortgage enterprise. Fannie Mae. has cut more than 62 jobs across departments, including Information Technology, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Federal Housing Finance Agency Director William Pulte said on Thursday. "We, like any business, must eliminate positions that are not core, or otherwise, to mortgages and new home sales.
The Trump administration has fired about a dozen officials within Fannie Mae's ethics and internal investigations unit, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter.
U.S. single-family house prices increased in August even as supply has improved significantly, suggesting affordability would remain a challenge for many prospective home buyers. ?. House prices rose 0.4% on a month-over-month basis, the Federal Housing Finance Agency said on Tuesday.
In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.
Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.
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