Observations from ABS Vegas: The long-anticipated deal agent is nearly here...

The main reason why we’re not seeing new private-label mortgage deals, at the moment, is that the economics of private-label securitization simply don’t work in the current low-rate environment. Prime jumbo securitizations have slowed significantly. In 2015, for example, Kroll said 38 prime jumbo deals came to market, but in 2016, year to date, that number (by my count) is two.