RMBS investors sceptical over 'gold standard'

The creation of a gold standard for RMBS issues, as proposed by the UK government, could merely be another way of confirming the quality of the underlying assets and do little to help investors

The UK government has finally woken up to the pain that may be inflicted on the nation's mortgage borrowers as a result of disruption in the structured finance and covered bond markets. In response it has unveiled proposals to attempt to bring stability to the sector. The move is a clear sign that the government is desperate to support the housing market, but can it move quickly enough and will the proposals work?

Just weeks ago, during a House of Commons debate on the nationalisation of Northern