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Daily Archives: November 12, 2013

CFPB Launches Tool to Help Consumers Find Housing Counselors

“Housing counselors throughout the country can provide advice on buying a home, renting, defaults, foreclosures, and credit issues. Using the search box below, you can find one near you. The counseling agencies on this list are approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and they can offer independent advice about whether a particular set of mortgage loan terms is a good fit based on your objectives and circumstances, often at little or no cost to you. This list will show you several approved agencies in your area. There is also a list of nationwide HUD-approved counseling intermediaries.”

The Rising Gap between Primary and Secondary Mortgage Rates

The Rising Gap between Primary and Secondary Mortgage Rates – Andreas Fuster, Laurie Goodman, David Lucca, Laurel Madar, Linsey Molloy, and Paul Willen. Federal Reserve Bank of New York. “While mortgage rates reached historic lows during 2012, the spread between primary and secondary rates rose to very high levels. This trend reflected a number of factors that potentially affected mortgage originator costs and… Continue Reading

CRS – Sovereign Debt in Advanced Economies

Sovereign Debt in Advanced Economies:  Overview and Issues for Congress – Rebecca M. Nelson, Analyst in International Trade and Finance. October 28, 2013 “Sovereign debt, also called public debt or government debt, refers to debt incurred by governments. Since the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, public debt in advanced economies  has increased substantially. A number of factors related… Continue Reading

FSB publishes its annual update of the group of global systemically important banks

“The Financial Stability Board is publis[ed] today its annual update of the list of G-SIBs, using end-2012 data and an updated assessment methodology published by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision in July 2013. One bank – Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited – has been added to the list of banking groups identified as G-SIBs in… Continue Reading

Federal Reserve Bank of New York – Primary Dealer Surveys

“Primary dealers are surveyed on their expectations for the economy, monetary policy and financial market developments prior to Federal Open Market Committee meetings. In advance of each FOMC meeting, a survey prepared by the New York Fed’s Markets Group is sent to the Bank’s primary dealers. The survey questions are based only on topics widely discussed… Continue Reading

Interim Crediting Report – A Report from the Monitor of the National Mortgage Settlement

Office of Mortgage Settlement Oversight – John A. Smith Jr. – “This report to the public summarizes the official reports I have filed with the United States District Court for the District of  Columbia. It discusses consumer relief and refinancing assistance the servicers extended to distressed borrowers under the National Mortgage Settlement through December 31, 2012,… Continue Reading

The Effects of Policy Guidance on Perceptions of the Fed’s Reaction Function

Federal Reserve Bank of New York  Staff Reports.  The Effects of Policy Guidance on Perceptions of the Fed’s Reaction Function. Katherine Femia, Steven Friedman, Brian Sack.  Staff Report No. 652, November 2013. “This paper explores the market reaction to the forward guidance that the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), has provided about the  federal funds rate, with particular focus on the… Continue Reading

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Publishes Standards on the Use of an Independent Consultant

“The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today published standards governing the use of independent consultants in enforcement actions involving significant violations of law, fraud, or harm to consumers. The standards describe the criteria the OCC will use in determining whether the agency would require a national bank or federal savings association to retain… Continue Reading

Critical Aspects of EPA’s IRIS Assessment of Inorganic Arsenic: Interim Report

“The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program develops toxicologic assessments of environmental contaminants. IRIS assessments provide hazard identification and dose-response assessment information. The information is then used in conjunction with exposure information to characterize risks to public health and may be used in risk-based decisionmaking, in regulatory actions, and for… Continue Reading

Paper – The Data Revolution and Economic Analysis

The Data Revolution and Economic Analysis – Liran Einav and Jonathan Levin, Stanford University and NBER. Draft May 1, 2013 “Many believe that “big data” will transform business, government and other aspects of the economy. In this article we discuss how new data may impact economic policy and economic research. Large-scale administrative datasets and proprietary private sector… Continue Reading