Strategist: More Volatility In Mortgage Sector
By: Lately, investors have seen an increase in trades among the mortgage lenders. What does that say about the financial services sector? CNBC's Sue Herera asked Stacey Briere Gilbert, Chief Options Strategist at Susquehana Financial.
Gilbert said looking at the financial markets from a "30,000 foot approach" -- she focuses on the XLF– the financial selects spider, the BKX– the Banking Index - and XPD- the Broker Dealer Index. They all show an increase in volatility buying.
Mortgage lenders, especially, have seen an increased number of put buyers (a bondholder's right to redeem a bond before maturity). That suggests an increased risk with those stocks.
The bottom line: The marketplace is positioning itself for increased volatility in the sector.
As we told you a few days ago, late payments on sub-prime loans have surged and a continued rise could hurt investors in mortgage-backed securities.
