Bankrate starts stock repurchase program for up to $50M

Ahead of today’s opening, Bankrate Inc. (Nasdaq:RATE) began its previously announced stock repurchase program of up to $50 million. | Nasdaq: RATE |Comment

Columbia Bancorp slips 9% on bleak Q2 forecast

Columbia Bancorp (Nasdaq:CBBO) is down nearly 9% in today’s trading after the holding company forecast ahead of today’s opening a loss for the second quarter. | Nasdaq: CBBO |Comment

Thornburg Mortgage approves deadline extension for preferred stock tender offer

Thornburg Mortgage, Inc. (NYSE:TMA) said on Tuesday the company had approved a deadline extension for the completion of its preferred stock tender offer to Sept. 30, 2008. | NYSE: TMA |Comment

Cardinal Financial upgraded, shares edge up

Cardinal Financial Corporation (Nasdaq:CFNL) received two upgrades Monday, nudging the financial holding company’s shares up 7.9%. | Nasdaq: CFNL |Comment

Anworth Mortgage Asset plunges on analyst downgrade

Anworth Mortgage Asset Corp. (NYSE: ANH) shares plunged after investment bank Keefe Bruyette & Woods downgraded the Santa Monica, Calif.-based real estate investment trust to “market perform”... | ANH |Comment

Downey Financial slides after reclassifying $99 million in loans

Downey Financial Corp. (NYSE: DSL) shares are declining after the mortgage lender said before the opening that it’s reclassified $99 million in loans as non-performing due to accounting changes. | DSL |Comment

Anworth Mortgage Asset Corp. to offer 9M shares

Anworth Mortgage Asset Corp. (NYSE: ANH) said this morning that it will offer $9 million shares of its common stock at $6.70 per share for gross proceeds of $60.3 million. | ANH |Comment

Luminent Mortage Capital CFO steps down

Luminent Mortgage Capital, Inc. (NYSE: LUM) reported this morning that the REIT’s Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary, Christopher Zyda, resigned today. | LUM |Comment

MFA Mortgage Investments to offer 7M shares

MFA Mortgage Investments, Inc. (NYSE: MFA) said this morning that will publicly offer 7,000,000 shares at $7.90 per share for estimated gross proceeds of approximately $55.3 million. | MFA |Comment

Luminent Mortgage Capital raised to "hold" rating

Luminent Mortgage Capital Inc. (NYSE: LUM) was raised to a rating of “hold” today from “sell” by Deutsche Bank, as the real estate investment trust’s (REIT) portfolio begins to stabilize... | LUM |Comment

Luminent Mortgage Capital lowers Q2 earnings

Luminent Mortgage Capital, Inc. (NYSE: LUM) announced before the opening that its reported second-quarter earnings have been reduced by $0.10 to $0.20 per share, compared with $0.45 a year earlier. | LUM |Comment

MFA Mortgage Investments upgraded to "outperform"

REIT MFA Mortgage Investments Inc. (NYSE: MFA) was upgraded by Bear Stearns today to a rating of “outperform” from “peer perform” based on an improved earnings outlook. | MFA |Comment

Accredited Home Lenders agrees to be bought out at lower price, drops lawsuit

Shares of Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. (Nasdaq: LEND) are advancing after the subprime mortgage lender said late Tuesday that it has agreed to be acquired at a lower price by private equity... | LEND |Comment

Lone Star extends buyout offer for Accredited Home Lenders

Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. (Nasdaq: LEND) reported late Tuesday that LSF5 Accredited Investments, LLC, a subsidiary of Lone Star Fund V, is extending its tender offer for the sub-prime... | LEND |Comment

Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. tumbles on solvency concerns

Shares of Accredited Home Lenders Holding Co. (Nasdaq: LEND) are tumbling this morning after the non-bank mortgage lender reported in a regulatory filing that it might not be able to remain solvent... | LEND |Comment

Crystal River Capital Inc. plunges after downgrade

Shares of Crystal River Capital Inc. (NYSE: CRZ) are tumbling today after A.G. Edwards & Sons downgraded the mortgage REIT to a “hold” rating from “buy” on mortgage industry uncertainty. | CRZ |Comment

New 52-week lows

New 52-week highs were established Wednesday in the following exchange-traded issues with market capitalizations or values under $500 million: | Comment

Rackable Systems, Inc. leads Tuesday small-cap volume

The following were the most actively traded companies in Tuesday's trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million: | RACK |Comment