Reuters - Fannie Mae , the biggest U.S. mortgage finance company, on Wednesday announced a shake-up of top executives, including the exit of its chief financial officer, in an effort to better implement a plan to preserve capital and cut losses.

AP - Mortgage finance giant Fannie Mae shook up its executive ranks Wednesday, after shares in it and sibling company Freddie Mac rose for a third straight day as investors appeared less certain a government bailout of the two troubled companies is imminent.

Reuters - U.S. mortgage applications rose for the first time in three weeks as interest rates edged lower, an industry group said on Wednesday.

Reuters - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing the now-bankrupt mortgage lender IndyMac Bancorp Inc of inflating the appraised values of homes and misleading borrowers into paying higher closing and financing costs.

Reuters - Stocks of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest U.S. housing finance companies, rallied for a third straight day on Wednesday as investors grew more confident their shareholdings would not be wiped out by any government intervention.

Reuters - The U.S. government should eliminate the hybrid structure of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and fully back them with taxpayer funds, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine said on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Democratic National Convention.

Reuters - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , the two biggest U.S. mortgage finance giants, have enough capital to absorb probable losses through the end of the year, reducing the need for emergency government support, according to Citigroup equity research.