New MBS reports increase transparency for market participants

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and Interactive Data Corp. introduced market activity and pricing-related tables for securitized products that will provide investors with asset and mortgage-backed securities transaction data. The new tables are similar to MBS indices such as Markit‘s PrimeX index in that they allow investors to gauge market sentiment around asset-classes and take short or long positions accordingly. The service represents the full asset-backed and MBS markets and uses transacted prices from TRACE, FINRA’s over-the-counter, real-time transaction reporting service. TRACE consolidates transaction data for corporate bonds, agency debentures and asset- and mortgage-backed securities. Steven Joachim, FINRA executive vice president, said this is the company’s first step to increased transparency in the securitized product market. “For the first time, securitized products data, including pricing tables and a market activity table — based on actual, consolidated transaction information — will be available to the public,” he said. The tables display summaries of market activity in the U.S. structured-products markets by product type, number of trades and number of unique securities traded. The tables are available on FINRA’s website and updated every trading day after the market closes. Write to Justin T. Hilley

Most Popular Articles

3d rendering of a row of luxury townhouses along a street

Log In

Forgot Password?

Don't have an account? Please