For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 23, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the latest Industry Outlook. Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the REITs sector, including American Capital Agency Corp. (AGNC), Fannie Mae (FNM), Freddie Mac (FRE), Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) and Simon Property Group Inc. (SPG).

Here is the latest on the REITs sector:

The credit freeze will have a positive effect on commercial real estate down the road; new office, apartment and retail construction has slowed considerably, which will benefit owners in a couple of years. Many companies that we cover have stopped all-new construction.

In this environment, we like well-capitalized companies that have adequate liquidity and manageable near-term debt maturities. Currently, we are bullish on American Capital Agency Corp. (AGNC), a mortgage REIT that invests exclusively in agency securities for which the principal and interest

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Amid positive signals emanating from the uptick in housing prices and an improving outlook for consumer spending, the housing sector is gradually stabilizing. Both new and existing home sales have increased during the last four consecutive months and are now 32% and 17% above their recent lows, respectively. Single-family housing starts have also risen 37% from their low point, and inventories of homes-for-sale have fallen sharply.

Equity REITs rebounded nicely in the third quarter, recording total returns of 33% (total return FTSE NAREIT Index) vs. a 15% gain each for the S&P and the Dow. The strong third quarter returns marked the second consecutive record-setting performance of equity REITs after a dismal performance in the first quarter of 2009.

In what has been a volatile year, equity REITs gained approximately 29% (total return FTSE NAREIT Index) in the second quarter after falling 32% in the first quarter. So far in October, equity

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Amid positive signals emanating from the uptick in housing prices and an improving outlook for consumer spending, the housing sector is gradually stabilizing. Both new and existing home sales have increased during the last four consecutive months and are now 32% and 17% above their recent lows, respectively. Single-family housing starts have also risen 37% from their low point, and inventories of homes-for-sale have fallen sharply.

Equity REITs rebounded nicely in the third quarter, recording total returns of 33% (total return FTSE NAREIT Index) vs. a 15% gain each for the S&P and the Dow. The strong third quarter returns marked the second consecutive record-setting performance of equity REITs after a dismal performance in the first quarter of 2009.

In what has been a volatile year, equity REITs gained approximately 29% (total return FTSE NAREIT Index) in the second quarter after falling 32% in the first quarter. So far in October, equity

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Amid positive signals emanating from the uptick in housing prices and an improving outlook for consumer spending, the housing sector is gradually stabilizing. Both new and existing home sales have increased during the last four consecutive months and are now 32% and 17% above their recent lows, respectively. Single-family housing starts have also risen 37% from their low point, and inventories of homes-for-sale have fallen sharply. Equity REITs rebounded nicely in the third quarter, recording total returns of 33% (total return FTSE NAREIT Index) vs. a 15% gain each for the S&P and the Dow. The strong third quarter returns marked the second consecutive record-setting performance of equity REITs after a dismal performance in the first quarter of 2009. In what has been a volatile year, equity REITs gained approximately 29% (total return FTSE NAREIT Index) in the second quarter after falling 32% in the first quarter. ...

Freddie Mac (FRE) announced Thursday that U.S. mortgage rates for 30-year fixed home loans rose 0.02 basis points this week, as the year’s record low borrowing costs produced the biggest jump in new home purchases in four years. The average 30-year rate increased to 5.14% from 5.12% in the previous week. The mortgage rate was significantly higher than the record low of 4.78% set at the week ending April 2. Long-term mortgage rates remained flat this week, near historical lows, which is helping sustain a high level of affordability in the home-purchase market. Climbing mortgage rates may threaten a gain in home sales spurred by falling home prices, a government tax credit for first-time buyers, and a Federal Reserve program designed to lower borrowing costs. New home sales jumped more than expected in July and sales of existing homes rose to their highest level in ...

Who says the Fed doesn't have a sense of humor? The Federal Reserve started buying up mortgage-backed securities in November, and then on March 18th expanded the size of the program to $1.25 Trillion by the end of the year. The total amount of residential mortgages outstanding is just under $11 Trillion, about half of which is held or backed by the GSE's. The actual mortgages held by the GSE's is roughly $1.5 Trillion, with the remainder securitized and guaranteed. However, one would have to add in the paper backed by Ginnie Mae as well. The total amount of Fannie Mae (FNM), Freddie Mac (FRE) and Ginnie Mae paper outstanding is about $5 Trillion. The rest of the mortgages are either held as whole loans on the books of banks and S&L's, or are in

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This article is part of a syndicated series about deflation from market analyst Robert Prechter, the world’s foremost expert on and proponent of the deflationary scenario. For more on deflation and how you can survive it, download Prechter’s FREE 60-page Deflation Survival eBook, part of Prechter’s NEW Deflation Survival Guide.

The following article was adapted from Robert Prechter’s NEW Deflation Survival eBook, a free 60-page compilation of Prechter’s most important teachings and warnings about deflation.

By Robert Prechter, CMT

Now that the downward portion of the credit cycle is firmly in force, further inflation is impossible. But there is one entity left that can try to stave off deflation: the federal government.

The ultimate source of all the bad credit in the U.S. financial system is Congress. Congress created the Federal Reserve System and many privileged lending corporations: Fannie …

Maybe, if it’s one of the new mortgage-backed security ETFs coming from PowerShares.

These have to be the most exciting ETF filings to hit the Securities and Exchange Commission in years.

In case you missed the story, PowerShares filed to launch two new ETFs targeting the MBS market. Unlike other MBS ETFs, these products will not buy mortgages underwritten by federal agencies like Fannie Mae and Ginnie Mae. Those mortgages come with either an explicit or implicit federal guarantee, and are as boring as dirt.

Instead, the PowerShares ETFs will buy so-called “non-agency securities”: MBSs that don’t have the backing of the federal government. These are the securities that we read about in the papers; the ones that are illiquid and difficult to price, and that are causing banks so many problems.

The PowerShares ETFs will be available in two flavors: Prime, focused on mortgages backed by good credit; and

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Tuesday December 30, 2008 Navivest

The Federal Reserve announced on today, that it expects to begin purchasing mortgage-backed securities (MBS) in early January and that it has selected BlackRock Inc., Goldman Sachs Asset Management, PIMCO and Wellington Management Company, to act as its agents in implementing the program.

According to the Federal Reserve, the program is being implemented to help foster improved conditions in mortgage markets. The purchases will be financed by the creation through the creation of additional bank reserves.

Under the program, only fixed-rate agency MBS securities that are guaranteed by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae will be considered eligible assets that can be purchased. The program includes, but is not limited to, 30-year, 20-year and 15-year securities of these issuers. Not eligible under the program, are CMOs, REMICs, Trust IOs/Trust POs and other mortgage derivatives or cash equivalents.

The Federal Reserve is projecting a very limited

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The U.S. Federal Reserve and Treasury Department announced yesterday (Tuesday) $800 billion worth of stimulus measures to rev up three primary engines of the U.S. economy – homebuyers, consumers and small businesses.

This newest economic infusion follows a $700 billion banking system bailout package that was unveiled in late October. At least half the cash has been injected directly into U.S. banks and insurance companies, firing off a flurry of takeover deals – with more expected to come. And it precedes an anticipated package being designed by the new economic team that’s been assembled by President-elect Barack Obama. That package is still in its formative stages, but estimates of its ultimate size range from $500 million to $1.2 billion.

The $800 billion package unveiled by the Fed and Treasury Department yesterday consisted of several parts.

In one statement, the Fed announced it would purchase as much as $500

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