Mortgages

Mortgages are financing instruments secured by real estate and encompass loan origination, refinancing, agency mortgage-backed securities, warehouse lending and credit scoring. U.S. mortgage rates have recently risen to their highest levels in several months, reducing refinancing demand and slowing agency MBS issuance. Meanwhile, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have released historical FICO 10T data, while bank consolidation, business sales and changes in regulatory personnel continue to reshape the market. These trends affect housing affordability, financial institutions' lending practices and capital-market risk, making changes in interest rates, policy and credit standards important to track.