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US spells out Fannie-Freddie backstop plan
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-07-14 09:18 Fannie was created by the government in 1938 to provide more Americans the chance to own a home by giving financial institutions an outlet to sell mortgage loans they originated, freeing more cash to make more home loans. It moved from government to public ownership in 1968 and Freddie was started two years later.
Sunday's announcements are likely to raise anew criticism that the government should have moved sooner to rein in the two companies, especially since investors widely assumed they would be bailed out if they got into trouble. The government denied it, but what was seen by investors as an implicit guarantee of support allowed Fannie and Freddie to borrow at rates only slightly higher than the Treasury - and lower than what their banking competitors had to pay. "This really blows away the notion of an implicit guarantee," independent banking consultant Bert Ely said of the Treasury's plan to ask Congress to allow it to make equity investments in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. "It suggests a greater concern about how these companies are doing. It says the problems are deeper. It gets to the solvency of the companies, not just the liquidity." The announcement marked the latest move by the government to bolster confidence in the mortgage companies. A critical test of confidence will come Monday morning, when Freddie Mac is slated to auction a combined $3 billion in three- and six-month securities. Paulson's goal is to get his plan attached to a sweeping housing-rescue package. The Senate and House have each passed bills and a final package has to be hammered out. The centerpiece of the legislation is to help strapped homeowners avoid foreclosure legislation but it also contains provisions to revamp oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. "Treasury's plan is surgical and carefully thought out and will maximize confidence in Fannie and Freddie while minimizing potential costs to US taxpayers," said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. House GOP leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Republican Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said they "stand ready to work with Secretary Paulson and congressional Democrats to take appropriate steps to ensure the soundness of our mortgage markets." Officials from Treasury, the Fed and other regulators worked in close consultation throughout the weekend after growing investor fears about the companies' finances sent their shares and the overall market plummeting last week. Shares of Fannie Mae plunged 45 percent last week and are down 74 percent since the beginning of the year. Freddie Mac shares fell 47 percent last week, and have fallen 77 percent so far this year. Freddie Mac Chairman Richard Syron said Sunday that preliminary second-quarter results show that his company had "a substantial capital cushion" above the 20 percent minimum surplus it is required to maintain. Fannie Mae President and CEO Daniel Mudd said he believes the steps could send a calming message. "Given the market turmoil, having options to access provisional sources of liquidity if needed will help to strengthen overall confidence in the market. We will continue to do our part to provide liquidity, stability and affordability to the housing market now and in the future." |
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