Real Estate

News

Infrastructure Investment Speeds Up

The infrastructure investment business shows little signs of slowing as one general partner after another raises a new multi-billion dollar fund, underscoring the promise institutional investors see in infrastructure within the US, Europe and Asia.

Fremont Mulls Chapter 11 Filing

Fremont General said Friday it may file for Chapter 11, a day after disclosing its intent to sell the rest of its mortgage services operations to Litton Loan Servicing, an affiliate of Goldman Sachs.

Mortgage Rates Stay Steady

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate in Freddie Mac's weekly survey slipped just one basis point to 6.05% this week, while the 15-year fixed rate rose one basis point to 5.60%.

Blue-Chip Banker Joins Sterling Stamos

Sterling Stamos Capital Management, a firm with more than $6 billion in assets under management, has appointed veteran investment banker Robert Goodman to serve as global head of private equity and real assets. Goodman had been vice chairman and a member of the global operating committee at Deutsche Asset Management since January 2006.

ABI Appoints I-Banking Committee Co-Chair

Lorie Beers, a managing director in KPMG Corporate Finance's special situations advisory group, has been appointed co-chair of the American Bankruptcy Institute's investment banking committee.

More

Articles

...And Fannie

US housing agency Fannie Mae last Tuesday said it lost $2.2 billion in the first quarter, or $2.57 a share, and the government sponsored enterprise announced plans to raise $6 billion through the sale of common, convertible and non-convertible preferred stock.

Out of Options

High-yield bond investors who hold Residential Capital notes expressed resignation last week over the bond exchange offer the company has initiated. While it's not the best deal around, the bondholders don't really have much choice but to approve it.

Morgan Stanley's Barnett Joins BofA

As first reported by IDD, Phil Barnett is joining Bank of America after a 20-year career at Morgan Stanley, most recently as managing director and head of the firm's global insurance business.

KBW's Growing Real Estate Play

Although real estate prices generally continue to fall, real estate investment trusts are performing well in the current market, news that may bode well for Keefe, Bruyette & Woods. The middle-market bank last week launched a dedicated real estate investment banking group with three new hires.

The Great Escape?

Sentiment about US credit markets has improved in recent weeks, thanks in part to a March bailout of Bear Stearns orchestrated by the Federal Reserve as well as a steady campaign by the US central bank to improve liquidity of fragile capital markets. The slight uptick in confidence is reflected in narrower yield premiums in a variety of debt markets, as well as a pickup in the issuance of a variety of debt and equity securities.

More