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• National City May Be a Tough Sell, Analysts Say Wednesday, 2 Apr 2008 | 11:45 AM ET

  National City is reportedly in talks to sell itself to Cleveland neighbor KeyCorp, among other banks, but the bank is taking a long time to find buyers, triggering investor fears that it will not be able to sell much above its current share price.

• UK's First Direct Withdraws New Mortgages Wednesday, 2 Apr 2008 | 7:46 AM ET

  

  British bank First Direct has withdrawn mortgages for new customers to clear a backlog after people flocked to its relatively cheap rates as other lenders raised rates due to the credit crunch.

• National City Mulls Sale to KeyCorp: WSJ Wednesday, 2 Apr 2008 | 5:30 AM ET

  National City, which has been battered by the housing downturn, is considering a plan to sell itself to rival KeyCorp, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

• Senate Leaders Agree on Aid for Homeowners Wednesday, 2 Apr 2008 | 4:50 AM ET

  

  Senate leaders announced an agreement on legislation to ease the slumping housing market and help millions of families threatened by foreclosure.

• Thornburg Shares Jump After Averting Bankruptcy Tuesday, 1 Apr 2008 | 1:34 PM ET

  Thornburg Mortgage shares rose Tuesday after the provider of large residential mortgages said it successfully raised $1.35 billion in a last-ditch effort to avoid bankruptcy, but at a large cost to existing shareholders.

• Thornburg Raises $1.35 Billion to Avoid Bankruptcy Tuesday, 1 Apr 2008 | 5:41 AM ET

  Thornburg Mortgage, a jumbo mortgage provider that has been trying to avoid bankruptcy, on Monday said it raised $1.35 billion from a sale of debt and warrants to buy common stock.

• Privately Insured Mortgage Defaults Leap 38 Percent Monday, 31 Mar 2008 | 4:44 PM ET

  

  Defaults on privately insured U.S. mortgages rose 38.1 percent in February, as a growing number of homeowners failed to keep up with their loan payments.

• Housing Secretary Jackson to Resign, Official Says Monday, 31 Mar 2008 | 2:20 AM ET

  Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson is resigning Monday, according to a government official.

• JPMorgan Memo Shows Mortgage 'Cheats & Tricks' Friday, 28 Mar 2008 | 3:51 PM ET

  An internal JPMorgan Chase memo entitled "Zippy Cheats & Tricks" offers a peek into just the sort of dubious lending tactics that underpinned the U.S. housing market's deepening downward spiral.

• UK House Prices Fall for Fifth Straight Month Friday, 28 Mar 2008 | 5:22 AM ET

  

  British house prices fell for a fifth straight month in March, bringing the annual rate of increase to its lowest in 12 years, in a clear sign the once red-hot property market is weakening fast.

• Vacant Homes Posing New Threat to Cities Tuesday, 25 Mar 2008 | 7:50 AM ET

  

  in many cities,  the home vacancy rate has scaled its highest since records began in 1956. Officials are using a variety of strategies to combat the problem.

• Thornburg to Raise $1.35 Billion to Avoid Bankruptcy Tuesday, 25 Mar 2008 | 6:44 AM ET

  Thornburg Mortgage said it was looking to sell up to $1.35 billion of bonds in a private placement as the company tries to raise the funds necessary to keep lenders at bay and avert bankruptcy.

• US Existing Home Sales Post Surprise Increase Monday, 24 Mar 2008 | 5:02 PM ET

  

  The pace of existing home sales in the United States rose in February to a 5.03 million-unit annual rate while prices took a record fall, the National Association of Realators said in a report on Monday that painted a mixed picture for the housing market.

• JPMorgan May Raise Bear Stearns Bid to $10 A Share Monday, 24 Mar 2008 | 9:23 AM ET

  

  JPMorgan Chase is in talks to raise its takeover offer for Bear Stearns to about $10 a share in an effort to appease Bear shareholders angry with the cut-rate deal, a person briefed on the talks said.

• Housing Crisis Quicksand: 'Payday Loans' on Rise Monday, 24 Mar 2008 | 8:41 AM ET

  

  As hundreds of thousands of American home owners fall behind on their mortgage payments, more people are turning to short-term loans with sky-high interest rates just to get by.

• There Are Pockets of Strength in The Housing Slump Wednesday, 19 Mar 2008 | 9:39 AM ET

  

  Even in the worst storms, there are pockets of calm, and the housing crisis gripping the United States is no different.

• Fannie, Freddie Cleared to Buy More Mortgages Wednesday, 19 Mar 2008 | 9:01 AM ET

  

  The regulator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eased capital requirements for the two firms,  allowing them to pump up to $200 billion into the distressed mortgage market.

• Deal for More Fannie and Freddie Loan Power Expected Wednesday, 19 Mar 2008 | 6:01 AM ET

  

  The regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will on Wednesday announce that the two U.S. mortgage finance companies have won relief from stringent capital rules and so can pump about $200 billion into a shaky mortgage market, sources familiar with the plan said on Tuesday.

• FBI's Mortgage Lender Probe Grows to 17 Firms Tuesday, 18 Mar 2008 | 3:53 PM ET

  

  The FBI's criminal probe of the mortgage lending industry has grown to 17 firms, involves large companies, and could take years to conclude, bureau officials said on Tuesday in a Reuters interview.

• Homebuilder Index Holds Near Low in March Monday, 17 Mar 2008 | 2:10 PM ET

  

  U.S. home builder sentiment remained mired near historic lows in March, the National Association of Home Builders said Monday, as the worst housing slump since the Depression kept buyers and home financing in short supply.