Fannie Mae investment portfolio lower in December - 2004-01-21
Fannie Mae, the biggest buyer of U.S. mortgages, disclosed on Wednesday that its investment portfolio of mortgage loans and securities dropped at an annualized 10 percent rate in December after shrinking the two prior months, but posted 13.1 percent growth for all of 2003.

Despite the first quarterly fall in the portfolio -- a key contributor to Fannie Mae's earnings -- since the late 1980s, the full year's growth surpassed the 12.1 percent rate of 2002.
Read the full story at Reuters

Lower mortgage demand drags down Washington Mutual profit - 2004-01-21
Lower demand for home loans lowered Washington Mutual's quarterly profit by 11 percent in the fourth quarter, tempering years of rapid growth at the Seattle-based lender.

Analysts slashed their forecasts last month after WaMu warned that profits would fall as higher interest rates slackened demand for home loans and mortgage refinancings, which had generated fees and swelled its loan books.
Read the full story at Seattle Times