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Camera-ready art of "Regional
Outlook" (755Kb PDF file - PDF help
or hard copy)
Regional Perspectives
Region's Economic Conditions--The current recession is less severe than the downturn during the early 1990s; however, certain information technology industries have been affected more negatively by the recent weakness. Thus far, the housing sector has remained robust, but areas that recently experienced significant price appreciation may falter, especially if the recession continues.
Rising Concentrations in Long-Term Assets Are Elevating the Interest Rate Risk Profiles of the Region's Savings Institutions--Asset maturities continue to lengthen while liabilities remain short. Optionality is becoming a key funding issue, and measuring and projecting the sensitivity of nonmaturity deposits or retail CDs to rising rates will prove difficult. As a result, interest rate risk measurement and management are becoming more complex.
By the Boston Region Staff
In Focus This Quarter
Housing Market Has Held Up Well in This Recession, but Some Issues Raise Concern--Recent trends in mortgage underwriting are of particular interest, as an estimated $2 trillion in mortgage debt, approximately one-third of the total outstanding, was underwritten during 2001. Nonconstruction residential mortgages traditionally have represented one of the better-performing loan classes during prior downturns. The level of credit risk, however, may be higher this time around because the mortgage lending business has changed since the last downturn. This article examines these changes, including increased involvement by insured institutions in the higher-risk subprime credit market, the acceptance of higher initial leverage on home purchases, and greater use of automated underwriting and collateral valuation processes, which have not been recession-tested.
Home price softening could have an adverse effect on residential construction and development (C&D) and mortgage portfolios. In the aggregate, the level of risk appears modest. However, insured institutions with significant C&D loan exposures in markets that experienced ongoing residential construction during 2001, despite slowing local economies, are at higher risk. Weakening home prices could hurt loan quality in selected markets. The San Francisco Bay Area stands out as a place to watch in this regard.
By Scott Hughes, Regional Economist
Judy Plock, Senior Financial Analyst
Joan Schneider, Regional Economist
Norm Williams, Regional Economist
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