Bonds

Illinois drew a fresh rating upgrade Tuesday for making further progress in tackling its chronic fiscal sore spots. Moody’s Investors Service raised Illinois’ general obligation and sales tax-backed Build Illinois bonds by one notch to A3 from Baa1 and assigned a stable outlook. The upgrade also lifts the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority’s rating one

Municipals were little changed Tuesday in secondary trading as the $1.25 billion deal from the New York City Transitional Finance Authority took focus in the primary. Days after the Silicon Valley Bank collapse, U.S. Treasuries reversed course and sold off on the heels of the most recent inflation report. Equities ended up. Triple-A benchmarks largely

The Federal Reserve’s top regulator will lead a probe of its supervision activity that preceded the second-largest bank failure in U.S. history, the central bank announced Monday. Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will conduct a review of the regulation and supervision activity applied to Santa Clara, Calif.-based Silicon Valley Bank, which was shut

Wisconsin heads into the market Tuesday with a new money and refunding transportation issue against a backdrop of debate over how to spend a record $7 billion surplus, with the legislature’s Republican majority in the driver’s seat. The size of the borrowing is in flux and dependent on market technicals Tuesday when the deal is

Municipals were firmer to end the week, outperforming a U.S. Treasury rally after the employment report revealed more jobs than expected were added in February. Equities sold off. Triple-A benchmark yields were bumped five to 10 basis points, depending on the curve, while U.S. Treasury yields fell 20 to 31 basis points, pushing the five-,

President Biden’s proposed budget unveiled Thursday includes the lowering of the private activity bond threshold for Low Income Housing Tax Credits to 25% from 50% and muni lobbyists, though skeptical about the prospects of the budget passing as is, say they will work hard to include the provision in any final budget. “While the President’s

The private partner in a prominent Maryland public-private partnership dropped out Thursday, citing environmental delays, lawsuits, and disagreements with the state, in a move that leaves the fate of the country’s largest P3 in doubt. Australia-based toll road operator Transurban, the lead partner in a consortium known as Accelerate Maryland Partners, said it had submitted

Underwriters completed pricing Thursday of a $3.52 billion Texas securitization deal for natural gas providers, but the bonds may stay in investors’ hands only for a short time. The Texas Senate Finance Committee advanced a supplemental appropriations bill Wednesday that includes money to pay off the bonds and possibly debt incurred by other utilities as

A project to repair a berth at the Port of Camden in New Jersey will receive a boost of support from this fiscal year’s federal omnibus spending bill. U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, a Democrat whose district includes Camden, recently announced an additional $750,000 in federal funds to support work on long-neglected portions of the South

Fitch Ratings upgraded Orlando, Florida’s $166.925 million of Series 2017A senior tourist development tax revenue bonds to BBB from BBB-minus. The outlook on the bonds is stable. The bonds are a limited obligation of the city backed by a senior lien on 50% of the “6th-cent TDT,” which is a one-cent tax on hotel room

Municipals were firmer on the front end of the curve as more billion-dollar deals priced, while Treasuries rallied hard inside 10 years and equities sold off. The potential for a strong employment report, which would amp up belief of a 50-basis-point move by the Federal Open Market Committee later this month, and higher for longer

The largest tax cut in West Virginia’s history has been signed into law by Gov. Jim Justice. “The world is watching West Virginia. The world sees West Virginia in a different light today,” Justice said at the signing ceremony in Charleston on Tuesday. “We’re not the blunt end of a bad joke. We’re the diamond

Municipals were little changed in secondary trading Wednesday amid an active primary market with two billion-dollar deals priced, although details on one were not immediately available. U.S. Treasury yields were weaker in spots and equities ended mixed. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 59%, the five-year at 61%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year

Nossaman added Michelle McCarthy as a partner in its Los Angeles office and changed the name of the practice she joined to reflect the new line of services her addition brings. The practice she joins was renamed to Pension, Benefits & Investments Group from the Public Pensions & Investments Group. “Michelle’s deep, nuanced experience in

Municipals were a little firmer in spots Tuesday, while equities and short-term U.S. Treasuries sold off after Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell suggested interest rates could be hiked higher than expected to combat inflation. The two-year UST yield rose 13 basis points, pushing it above 5% for the first time since June 2007. The

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s proposed fiscal 2024 budget and four-year financial plan tackles the city’s post-Chapter 9 pension funding cliff, offers some property tax relief and moves the city closer to fully shedding state oversight, he told the City Council. The city would draw $73 million from its proposed $1.3 billion general fund to make

Unsteady leadership has challenged the financial stability of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, according to a state review of the town’s financial management that was recently made public. High turnover rates in key government positions over the last decade left the Cape Cod town of 4,035 without sustainable revenue streams and in need of fundamental reforms, the Division

The National Federation of Municipal Analysts has named Mark Capell, managing vice president of public finance for Build America Mutual’s West Region as its president for the 2023 year. The first bond insurer to serve as president of NFMA since Bill Hogan of Assured Guaranty’s 2009 term, Capell believes his experience in bond insurance gives

S&P Global Ratings on Friday revised the outlook on Reedy Creek Improvement District, Florida’s general obligation bonds to stable from developing. S&P also affirmed the AA-minus long-term rating on the district’s outstanding GOs, saying the rating reflects the strong tax base, very strong collection rates and consistent financial performance. “The outlook revision reflects recent state

Municipals were firmer in spots Friday, with pressure easing for short-end munis, ahead of a robust new-issue calendar where issuance tops $10 billion. U.S. Treasuries rallied out long, and equities ended up. Triple-A benchmark yields were bumped three to 12 basis points, depending on the scale, at one-year, while UST yields fell four to 13,