Servicing

First-time claims for unemployment insurance fell for the fourth time in the last five weeks, dropping 5,000 to 343,000 for week ending June 29, the Labor Department reported Wednesday. The four-week moving average of first-time claims dropped 750 to 345,500. The four-week moving average of continuing claims declined 9,500 to 2,969,250 for the period ending June 22.

Nationstar Mortgage announced it is revising losses on loans with principal forbearances acquired in 2012 from Aurora Bank FSB and Aurora Loan Services.

Carrington Mortgage Holdings, LLC announced it has been recognized with a 2013 Innovation Award for Enhancing Learning Services by Skillsoft.

A North Dakota judge sentenced two officers from an Arizona mortgage originator for their roles in a $28 million scheme to defraud North Dakota-based BNC National Bank.

Stearns Lending, Inc., a California-based lender with retail, wholesale, and correspondent business channels, announced the appointment of Mike Liane as regional sales leader for the retail division.

A report released Monday by the Census Bureau revealed an estimated annual rate of $874.9 billion (seasonally adjusted) for construction spending in the month of May 2013. Private residential construction spending was at a seasonally adjusted rate of $322.3 billion, 1.2 percent higher than the $318.5 billion revised April estimate. The month's nonresidential construction spending showed an annual rate of $238.1 billion, down 1.4 percent from the revised April estimate of $287.1 billion.

Home prices continue to see significant gains as inventory limits buyers, CoreLogic said in its latest Home Price Index (HPI) report. The index rose 12.2 percent (including distressed sales) year-over-year in May, once again marking the biggest annual increase since 2006. Excluding distressed sales, prices were up 11.6 percent over May 2012. Looking at the top 100 core-based statistical areas (CBSAs) measured by population, 97 showed year-over-year gains in May, CoreLogic reported--up from 94 in April.

RE/MAX of New Jersey Inc. has selected EverBank as a preferred lender, the companies announced jointly.

LoanLogics and Platinum Data Solutions announced a partnership to combine loan performance analytics, management, and monitoring with automated valuation models.

While the reaction to Thursday's report on personal income and spending for May was largely positive, it may have also been misplaced.