Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) is the leading bidder for a $17 billion portfolio of commercial-property loans from Signature Bank's assets being sold by the FDIC. The deal is part of the FDIC's efforts to sell off approximately $33 billion of Signature’s real estate loans following the bank's collapse. The terms are not finalized, and the sale could still go to another bidder or be split among multiple buyers. Blackstone's bid is preferred due to lower costs, but does not include loans for rent-stabilized or rent-controlled units. The market is watching this sale for pricing cues amid a slowdown due to rising borrowing costs affecting property values and transactions.