FHFA Says Fannie and Freddie Valued Above $500 Billion, IPO Still Unsettled

Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte said the government-controlled mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now hold a combined $7.8 trillion in assets and are worth "north of" $500 billion. Pulte told reporters that President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether to proceed with a long-discussed initial public offering that could return the two companies to private ownership. "Anything is on the table," he said, adding that the next steps in U.S. housing-finance policy will depend on the White House. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed under federal conservatorship during the 2008 financial crisis. Market participants have speculated for years about an exit, but the timing and structure remain uncertain.