US DATA: MBS says “First quarter 2011 commercial and multifamily
mortgage originations were 89 percent higher than during the same period
last year and 25 percent lower than during the fourth quarter of 2010,
according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Quarterly Survey
of Commercial/Multifamily Mortgage Bankers Originations. The decrease
from fourth quarter 2010 reflects the industry’s usual push to finalize
deals before the end of the year, and subsequent drop-offs in first
quarter numbers.”