Bloomberg.com - "Countrywide's Borrowing Costs Rise as U.S. Home Slump Worsens" (10-16-06)

"Investors are concerned that Countrywide, based in Calabasas, California, is expanding into the riskiest parts of the mortgage business just as the housing market slows. As much as $20 billion of the $118 billion in mortgages Countrywide made in the second quarter gave borrowers the option to defer full payments in the first few years, increasing the amount of debt owed."