Government

A bill designed to amend mortgage fee calculations under new industry rules cleared a major hurdle Monday, passing the House despite reservations from critics who say it may reopen the door to irresponsible lending. Introduced last year by a bipartisan group of representatives, H.R. 3211 would amend TILA to exempt fees from affiliated title companies from counting toward the 3 percent point and fee threshold established in the QM rule.

Citing reports from "people familiar with the negotiations," the Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday that Bank of America has been working fervently over the week to come to an agreement with the Justice Department and put an end to speculation on the potential size of the settlement. Though the final numbers remain unconfirmed, if true, the settlement would rival last year's historic $13 billion paid by JPMorgan Chase to resolve similar allegations.

After surpassing expectations in April, the labor market performed slightly better than anticipated in May, according to numbers released Friday by the Department of Labor. According to the government, the economy added 217,000 new jobs last month, beating out a consensus forecast of 213,000 among economists surveyed by Econoday. The gain—a retreat from April's downwardly revised estimate of 282,000 jobs added—left the national unemployment rate unchanged at 6.3 percent.

Following a prior collapse in Ohio, FDIC announced over the weekend the closure of another bank: Slavie Federal Savings Bank of Bel Air, Maryland, has been closed. The agency entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with Bay Bank, FSB of Lutherville, Maryland, to assume all the deposits of the recently shuttered Slavie Federal Savings Bank.

The Department of Commerce estimates overall construction outlays came to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $953.5 billion in April, just up from March's revised $951.6 billion (originally reported at $942.5 billion). Despite the small increase, the gain brought spending levels up to their highest since March 2009.

Refinance volumes dropped in the first quarter to a post-recession low, according to stats released by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Meanwhile, the share of refinances done through the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) continued to pull back, slipping to about 21 percent of total activity.

First-quarter bank earnings dropped more than $3 billion compared to last year as mortgage-related income fell, FDIC reported Wednesday. FDIC reported the decline was "mainly attributable to a $7.1 billion (10.7 percent) decline in noninterest income," about $4 billion of which came from decreased mortgage revenues as interest rates continued to rise.

Despite disappointing home sales in the first quarter of the year as winter storms took their toll, home prices increased 1.3 percent over the first three months of the year on a seasonally-adjusted basis for the purchase-only market, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). FHFA's principal economist, Andrew Leventis, cited "modest inventories of homes available for sale" as a major factor in the first-quarter increase.

Another FDIC-insured bank closed its doors over the long weekend, bringing the national tally to eight so far this year. According to a release from the agency, Columbia Savings Bank of Cincinnati, Ohio, was shut down by the Ohio Division of Financial Institutions. As of March 31, the closed bank had roughly $36.5 million in assets and $29.5 million in deposits, "essentially all" of which is going to Indiana-based United Fidelity Bank.

Following recent reports that the San Antonio mayor was being discussed to take over as HUD secretary, the White House has confirmed the nomination of Julián Castro for the position. Meanwhile, current HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan is headed to the White House Office of Management and Budget.