Freddie Mac reported this week that its total mortgage portfolio increased at an annualized rate of 13.1 percent in December compared to a 12.0 percent gain in November. The portfolio balance at the end of the period was $3.246 trillion compared to $3.211 trillion the prior month and $2.784 trillion a year earlier. Purchases and Issuances dipped to $94.089 billion from $94.635 billion the prior month and Sales were ($1.467) billion compared to ($503) billion. Over the course of the year Freddie Mac purchased $1.299 trillion in loans. Single-family refinance loan purchase and guarantee volume was $48.4 billion in December compared to $52.7 billion in November, representing a 58 percent share of total single-family mortgage portfolio purchases and issuances, down from 60 percent in November. Purchases in Freddie Mac’s Mortgage Related Investments Portfolio totaled $59.468 billion for the month compared to $58.028 billion during the prior period. Liquidations were ($1.194) billion and ($1.109) billion for December and November, respectively and Sales for the two periods were ($53.373) and ($63.350) billion. The ending balance in the portfolio was $111011 billion, compared to $106.110 billion in November and $182.184 billion in December 2020. The annualized growth of the Mortgage Related Investments portfolio was 55.4 percent compared to a loss of (68.6) percent in November and a (67.0) loss a year earlier