Financial Stability

The three federal banking agencies issued the 2024 Shared National Credit report, describing credit risk associated with large, syndicated bank loans, as well as credit quality trends connected to the current state of interest rates. Read on »

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) published guidance reaffirming permissible cryptocurrency activities for banks while rescinding a requirement for institutions to get supervisory clearance before engaging in such activities. The agency also withdrew the OCC from a joint statement on crypto-asset risks to banking organizations. Read on »

Jonathan McKernan, the Trump administration’s nominee to become the next permanent director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, faced some unique lines of questioning during his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. In addition to inquiries about his policy positions, he also attempted to answer for how he plans to lead an agency the administration seems to be trying to dismantle. Read on »

Bill Pulte emphasized his family’s successful legacy in the mortgage industry during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Development. The Trump administration’s pick to run the Federal Housing Finance Agency fielded questions about his plans for achieving his top priority, if confirmed – “to strengthen and safeguard the housing finance system.” Read on »

The Federal Reserve’s biannual Monetary Policy Report read like a “good news, bad news” scenario for economists and mortgage professionals. Despite positive economic growth and stabilization in the real estate sector last year, early inflation numbers and other factors could hang question marks around potential rate cuts. Read on »

The Federal Reserve released a list of hypothetical scenarios to be used in its annual stress testing, designed to ensure that large banks can withstand the effects of a severe economic downturn. This year’s stress tests will simulate a major dip in housing prices, among other adverse market conditions. Read on »

The Federal Reserve’s Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey on Bank Lending Practices examined trends in residential mortgage and business lending in the fourth quarter of last year, among other key metrics. Read on »

The economy impacts every business sector involved in the real estate transaction. That is why October Research was pleased to welcome Mortgage Bankers Association Chief Economist Michael Fratantoni to kick off the 2025 Economic Outlook Series. Read on »

The U.S. Treasury Department withdrew from the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System – a coalition of central banks and regulators focused on bolstering the global financial system to withstand climate change. Read on »

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement, released Jan. 29, explained the Federal Reserve’s decision to maintain the federal funds rate at a target range between 4-1/4 to 4-1/2 percent. The FOMC pointed to indicators concerning the labor market and inflation as the basis for its decision. Read on »