Articles by Sweta Singh and Tanya Agrawal

FHA Lowering Premiums Puts Pressure on Private Mortgage Insurers

Private mortgage insurers in the United States may have to cut premiums to better compete with the Federal Housing Administration, which plans to reduce premiums in the government’s latest attempt to encourage first-time homebuyers. Companies such as MGIC Investment Corp. …

Genworth Separates Mortgage Insurance Unit, Reduces Bond Default Risk

Genworth Financial Inc. on Wednesday said it was reorganizing itself to separate its mortgage insurance business from the rest of the company, reducing the risk of default on its bonds and sending its shares up 9 percent. Genworth’s shareholders — …

Ally Financial to Sell Mexican Insurance Business to ACE

Auto lender Ally Financial, which is 74 percent-owned by the U.S. government, will sell its Mexican insurance business to insurance and reinsurance company ACE Ltd for $865 million in cash as it looks to focus on its U.S. operations. Ally, …

MasterCard Reports Possible Security Breach

MasterCard Inc., the world’s second-largest debit and credit card company, said it was extending its zero-liability policy for cardholders in the United States to include all PIN-based and ATM transactions. The move follows several data breaches at U.S. companies including …

AIG’s Plane Leasing Unit ILFC Files for Initial Public Offering

AIG’s aircraft leasing unit, International Lease Finance Corp., filed for an initial public offering Friday despite deep uncertainty in equity markets that could delay an offering until next year. ILFC Holdings Inc., as the company will be called, is the …