U.S. lenders issued a record $4.4 trillion in mortgage originations in 2021, topping the previous mark of $4.3 trillion set a year earlier, according to a new report. The Data & Analytics division of Black Knight Inc. today released its latest Mortgage Monitor Report, based on the company's mortgage, real estate, and public records datasets. In addition to the record originations, Black Knight also found a distinct shift to an equity-driven refinance market, it said.