Often the economy and general business trends are separate from management and business acumen. Like Block Buster, which at the high point had over 9,000 stores, Rite Aid had 5,000. Now it has… zero, despite people always needing drugs and toothpaste. Companies have to react to changing times… remember when CVS began locking its shelves to stop theft, and then made users add its app to help unlock them? The government shutdown is impacting lender’s business but is not impacting M&A news: Independent mortgage banks who need warehouse facilities are taking note that Fifth Third announced it will acquire Comerica in a $10.9 billion stock deal. It would create the nation’s ninth-largest bank… and could be the start of a long-anticipated consolidation among the bigger regional banks since there is an expectation that the Trump administration will look favorably on such deals. (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s are sponsored by Truework, the only all-in-one, automated VOIEA platform that helps mortgage providers achieve up to 50 percent cost savings with an industry leading 75 percent completion rate. Today’s features an interview with CHLA’s Taylor Stork on why FICO’s direct licensing pricing creates more options for consumers and lenders, but the mortgage industry should remain wary of FICO’s monopolistic pricing and practices.) Services, Products, Software, and Tools for Lenders and Brokers Las Vegas has a new icon: the Sphere. With its 580,000-square-foot LED exterior lighting up the Strip, it redefines what’s possible in entertainment and innovation. FirstClose™ has done the same for lending through its certified integration with Optimal Blue’s product, pricing, and eligibility (PPE) engine. By linking FirstClose’s advanced point-of-sale platform with Optimal Blue’s trusted pricing data, lenders can accelerate home equity closings from 45 days to 10 or fewer. The integration delivers a seamless borrower experience by combining real-time property data, eligibility insights, and precise loan pricing in one transparent, branded application journey. The result: faster approvals, stronger borrower trust, and more opportunities to serve the surging demand for home equity lines and second mortgages. Heading to Vegas for MBA Annual? Meet with the FirstClose team and see how we’re helping lenders achieve iconic results in home equity lending. Book your meeting here.