Finance September 15, 2008

→   Federal Conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Federal Conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac In the wake of the Federal Conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, we at MIAC generally expect a `business as usual` environment. However,. there are nuances to the terms of the conservatorship that may produce micro-level changes, as well as some macro-level changes to the landscape of the industry in the near-term. While we await clarity on the implementation of these nuances, this Special Edition of MIAC Perspectives identifies a few areas for continued discussion, observation, and focus to determine what might happen, along with our recommendations for how mortgage bankers can best position themselves going forward...Read Article. For further information on MIAC, please visit www.MIACAnalytics.com. -- Mortgage Industry Advisory Corp.,Dan Thomas,New York New York  09/11/2008



→   CAMBRIDGE CHAIRMAN SAYS HEALTHCARE BORROWERS NOT UNDULY PESSIMISTIC AS CREDIT CRISIS WORSENS
Senior housing/healthcare borrowers have mentally adjusted to the reality of a credit crunch, and worry about deteriorating economic conditions like everyone else. -- Cambridge Realty Capital Ltd,Evan Washington,Chicago Illinois  06/30/2008



→   MBA Evaluates SEC Regulatory Proposals on Credit Rating Agencies
SEC Opens Comment Period on Regulatory Proposals for Credit Rating Agencies -- Mortgage Bankers Association of America,John Ferber,Washington District of Columbia  06/12/2008



→   Personal Finance Web Site Launches Podcast Program
Bills.com, a personal finance Web site, has announced the launch of a new podcast program that will address a wide variety of financial-related topics. -- Bills.com,Bradford,san mateo California  05/13/2008



→   TransUnion.com Mortgage Trend Analysis Finds That Mortgage Loan Delinquency Rates Expected to Rise More Than 34 Percent by Year End
Analysis of trends in the mortgage industry during the 4th quarter of 2007 was made available today on TransUnion.com. The report is the third in an ongoing series of quarterly consumer lending sector analyses focusing on credit card, auto loan and mortgage data to be released on TransUnion`s Web site. -- Trans Union Corp.,Dave Blumberg,Chicago Illinois  05/01/2008



→   Student Loan Servicing Web Site Responds to Recent Survey on College Loans
StudentLoanCenter.biz, and online center for student loan information and assistance, is responding to the results of a new survey about how students are paying for college. -- Student Loan Center,Mike Cheslar,Carlsbad ca  04/15/2008



→   Wooster Asset Management Doubles Staff Size; Erik Postnieks, CEO, Expands Research, Risk Management and Operations Functions
Erik Postnieks, CEO and CIO of Wooster Asset Management hires 3 new team members to enhance Research, Risk Management and Operations Functions. Wooster Asset Management to relocate to 7 Times Square office suite at the end of March 2008. -- Wooster Asset Management, LLC,Information,New York NY  03/26/2008



→   First Advantage Purchases Fiserv`s Mortgage Credit Reporting Division, CredStar
First Advantage Corporation (NASDAQ:FADV) , a global risk mitigation and business solutions provider, and Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ:FISV) , a leading provider of information technology services to the financial industry, today announced that First Advantage has purchased the assets of CredStar, Fiserv`s mortgage credit reporting business unit. -- First Advantage Corporation,Henri Van Parys,St. Petersburg FL  01/04/2008



→   Simmons and First Manhattan Consulting Group Launch New Targeting Tools for Financial Services Advertisers
Financial Personalities(SM), based on consumers` needs, attitudes and behaviors, provides advertisers with new tools to improve their returns on mass media investments -- First Manhattan Consulting Group,Dave Aneckstein,New York NY  10/15/2007



→   NFCC Applauds Creation of HOPE NOW Alliance As Largest National Housing Counseling Network, Pledges Support and Resources for Consumers in Crisis
As the nation`s largest network of housing counseling agencies, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) applauds the creation of the HOPE NOW Alliance. HOPE NOW is a collaboration of counselors, mortgage servicers, and mortgage market participants created to reach out and help homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes. The Alliance was announced during a press conference yesterday by Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr. and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson. -- National Foundation for Credit Coun,Nick Jacobs,Silver Spring MD  10/15/2007



→   Bond Yields Close with Little Change
MBS and Treasury prices opened higher on Tuesday, with yields lower. Prices softened throughout the day, though, returning very near where they left off the day before. By the end of trading, the 10-year Treasury yield was back up to 4.61%. -- MortgageMag.com,Rob Hain,San Antonio Texas  09/25/2007



→   Consumer Confidence Slumps, Home Sales Decline
Consumer confidence slumped to the lowest level in almost two years and home sales weakened, threatening U.S. household spending and bolstering the case for the Federal Reserve to keep cutting interest rates. -- Bloomberg,Shobhana Chandra and Bob Willis,New York NY  09/25/2007



→   Treasuries Post Slim Gains
Treasury prices finished mostly higher Monday, shaking off an early decline and benefiting from a downturn in the stock market. -- Forbes (AP),Leslie Wines,New York NY  09/25/2007



→   No Data Due - Yields Barely Move
There was no data due on Monday. MBS and Treasury prices moved little, particularly in comparison to their wild ride the week before. By the end of trading, the 10-year Treasury yield was down to 4.63%. -- MortgageMag.com,Rob Hain,San Antonio Texas  09/24/2007



→   No Data Due - Yields Ease
After a week of falling bond prices, MBS and Treasury prices lifted in the absence of economic data on Friday, taking yields down slightly. By the end of Friday`s trading, the 10-year Treasury yield was down to 4.63% - still near its high for the month. -- MortgageMag.com,Rob Hain,San Antonio Texas  09/21/2007



→   Treasury prices rise
Market settles after three day selloff; yields drop easing inflation fears -- CNN/Money (AP),,New York NY  09/21/2007



→   Manufacturing Soars - Yields Up
With each data release, MBS and Treasury prices fell, taking yields upward. By the end of the day, the 10-year Treasury yield was up to 4.67%, a full 15 basis point increase over the previous day`s close. -- MortgageMag.com,Rob Hain,San Antonio Texas  09/20/2007



→   Treasury 10-Year Notes Fall Most Since June on Inflation Risk
Treasury 10-year notes fell the most since June on speculation the drop in the dollar and the Federal Reserve`s half-percentage-point cut this week in borrowing costs will fuel inflation. -- Bloomberg,Daniel Kruger and Deborah Finestone,New York NY  09/20/2007



→   Philadelphia Fed`s Factory Index Increased to 10.9
Manufacturing in the Philadelphia region accelerated more than forecast this month as orders and sales improved. -- Bloomberg,Courtney Schlisserman,New York NY  09/20/2007



→   Leading indicators fall 0.6% in August
A gauge of future economic growth plunged 0.6% in August, pointing to slower economic growth ahead, the Conference Board reported Thursday. -- MarketWatch,Rex Nutting,Washington DC  09/20/2007



→   Jobless claims fall to 311,000
In an indication that layoffs haven`t increased significantly, the number of U.S. workers filing for unemployment benefits fell by 9,000 last week to a seven-week low of 311,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. -- MarketWatch,Rex Nutting,Washington DC  09/20/2007



→   Overall Prices Decline - Yields Wander
Bond yields opened higher than Tuesday`s close, and they wandered throughout the day. The 10-year Treasury yield closed very near its opening level, at 4.52%. -- MortgageMag.com,Rob Hain,San Antonio Texas  09/19/2007



→   CPI falls 0.1% on drop in energy prices
U.S. consumer prices fell 0.1% in August as energy prices dropped for a third straight month, the Labor Department reported Wednesday, giving the Federal Reserve some belated backing for its decision to cut interest rates. -- MarketWatch,Rex Nutting,Washington DC  09/19/2007



→   U.S. Housing Starts Fell in August to 12-Year Low
Builders in the U.S. began work on the fewest homes in 12 years in August, raising the risk the real- estate recession will spread to other parts of the economy. -- Bloomberg,Shobhana Chandra,New York NY  09/19/2007



→   Producer Prices Mixed - Fed Lowers Rates
After opening higher and pushing upward, MBS and Treasury yields dropped after the rate announcement. The 10-year Treasury yield closed at its lowest of the day, but still higher than the day before - at 4.48%. -- MortgageMag.com,Rob Hain,San Antonio Texas  09/18/2007



→   Financial stocks jump after Fed cuts rates
Financial stocks moved sharply higher Tuesday afternoon, adding to earlier gains, after the Fed cut short-term interest rates by half a percentage point -- MarketWatch,Greg Morcroft,New York NY  09/18/2007