Bonds

Tampa International Airport plans to price $484 million in alternate minimum tax eligible senior bonds Thursday, about a week after Fitch Ratings upgraded the airport’s subordinate debt. The bonds, issued by the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, are rated Aa3 by Moody’s Ratings, AA-minus by Fitch, and AA by Kroll Bond Rating Agency. In late July

Municipals were weaker Wednesday, as U.S. Treasury yields rose and equities ended down. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Wednesday was at 66%, the three-year at 67%, the five-year at 67%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 83%, according to Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s 3 p.m. EST read. ICE Data Services had the two-year at

Kamala Harris’ selection of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her vice president in the 2024 race catapults the former geography teacher, veteran and former Congressman to the national stage and with it, his long track record as a champion for local issues. Walz follows Walter Mondale, vice president to Jimmy Carter, and Hubert Humphrey

Following a three-day extended rally, municipals reversed course and were mostly weaker five years and out Tuesday in secondary trading as the primary market took focus with several large deals. U.S. Treasuries sold off and equities rallied. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Tuesday was at 64%, the three-year at 66%, the five-year at 66%, the 10-year

The wagons are circling around anti-environmental, social, and governance laws enacted in Texas and Oklahoma amid a flurry of studies on their financial impact and congressional scrutiny. The two states were early enactors of laws that led to the blacklisting of more than 20 financial firms, including municipal bond underwriters, for “boycotting” or “discriminating” against

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bond parties asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Monday to reject the Oversight Board’s request to rehear the court’s June decision that bondholders have a lien on the authority’s net revenues. While the board’s request delays the bankruptcy, it “has the positive effect of clarifying, in

With a fresh leadership team, an expiring third-party manager contract and a recent upgrade from Fitch, the Long Island Power Authority is set to price a billion-dollar bond issuance on Tuesday. LIPA’s $1.021 billion of electric system general revenue bonds will include $736 million of Series 2024A, tax-exempt fixed-rate bonds and $285 million of Series

With the launch of several muni exchange-traded funds in recent weeks, there are now just over 100 muni ETFs in the space as firms ramp up their offerings to fill the gap in the marketplace and address the growing demand from clients. “There’s definitely a bit of an arms race out there,” said Brendan McCarthy,

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation board shocked the municipal bond market on Tuesday with a proposal that would switch out CUSIP numbers with Financial Instrument Global Identifiers, a marker based on standards developed by Bloomberg.  “It was an opaque process, but we did hear of efforts behind closed doors to expand the scope of FDTA to include

Williams College, the liberal arts school sprawled across 450 acres of the Berkshire highlands in Massachusetts, is out to show municipal bond investors the greater value of some higher education debt. The alma mater of former President James Garfield and current U.S. Rugby Olympian Kristi Kirshe plans to sell $108 million of bonds next week

Following the receipt of $12 billion from the Biden administration in July of this year, the Gateway Development Commission is seeking to execute an additional $3.8 billion Federal State Partnership grant agreement from the Federal Railroad Administration.   The additional funds will provide the GDC with a cushion with which to facilitate advance payments, as well

Municipals extended their rally Friday, underperforming U.S. Treasuries which saw yields plummet up to nearly 30 basis points on the short end after a weaker-than-expected nonfarm payrolls report. Equities sold off. Muni yields were bumped nine to 14 basis points, depending on the scale, while UST yields fell 17 to 29 basis points, pushing two-,

Though a spike in interest rates is largely responsible for the decline in pension obligation bond issuance in California, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association may have played a role. In 2021, the anti-tax organization began challenging lawsuits that local governments had filed seeking expedited judgment to validate proposed pension obligation bond issuance. Most cities abandoned

Municipals were firmer Thursday as muni mutual funds saw inflows top $1 billion and issuers were paid $26 billion of principal. U.S. Treasuries rallied and equities sold off. Muni yields were bumped two to eight basis points, depending on the scale, while UST yields fell up to 13 basis points on the short end. The

The Louisiana Public Facilities Authority expects to price $1.33 billion in Baa3-rated toll bonds next week, in a public-private partnership to replace the Calcasieu River Bridge, but with the bonds backed by toll revenues, there remains some concerns about drivers using alternate routes to avoid the charge. JPMorgan and Wells Fargo will manage the deal.

Municipals were steady, underperforming U.S. Treasuries after the Federal Reserve held rates, as expected. Equities ended up. Wednesday was about setting market participants up for a policy change in September, said Jeff MacDonald, executive vice president and head of fixed-income strategies at Fiduciary Trust International. The muni yield curve has “remained stubbornly inverted” throughout most

When the Federal Emergency Management Agency rejected Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s disaster declaration request July 23, it upset the four counties Whitmer had sought assistance for: Branch, Cass, Kalamazoo and St. Joseph. “The damage from this event was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the state, affected local governments

Municipals were little changed Tuesday as U.S. Treasuries were firmer and equities were mixed toward the end of the session. Muni yields remain near levels seen at the start of summer last year, said Tom Kozlik, managing director and head of public policy and municipal strategy at HilltopSecurities. Yields may move lower after the Federal

The bond markets have undergone significant transformations in recent months, as new technology like artificial intelligence and the shifting economic landscape force issuers and investors alike to navigate new frontiers in debt financing. Between the predictions of industry professionals, and proposed changes in regulations, many firms are forging ahead. Trading strengthened on July 16 following

Municipals were little changed Monday as U.S. Treasuries were firmer and equities ended mixed. While munis have been steady over the past several trading sessions, changed no more than a basis point or two, munis “continue to rally [this month] as yields have fallen an average of 15 basis points across the curve,” said Jason

The Chicago Public Schools board of education unanimously approved the $9.9 billion fiscal 2025 budget Thursday.  The vote came on the heels of a report from the Civic Federation of Chicago, a nonprofit fiscal watchdog, that warned the budget “presents a temporary solution to a long-term structural financial problem.”  The budget represents an increase of

Private equity giant KKR is buying Philadelphia-based broker-dealer Janney Montgomery Scott LLC. Janney, which dates to 1832, operates as a full-service wealth management, investment banking, and asset management firm. KKR announced Tuesday that it will acquire the firm from The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company, its owner since 1982. After the deal closes, Janney, which

Karl Knight was appointed chief executive officer of the U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority Thursday, effective July 29. The last permanent CEO, Andrew Smith, resigned on June 1 after two and a half years in the position. Since then, Ashley Bryan, who had been the head of electrical operations, has served as interim

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order instructing state agencies to adopt policies to clear homeless camps on state properties and asked local governments to use the “substantial funding” provided by the state to take similar action. The executive order issued Thursday comes a month after the U.S. Supreme Court’s sweeping Grants Pass decision

Municipals were little changed ahead of a smaller $6.6 billion new-issue calendar. U.S. Treasuries were firmer and equities rallied. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Friday was at 65%, the three-year at 66%, the five-year at 67%, the 10-year at 67% and the 30-year at 83%, according to Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s 3 p.m. EST read. ICE

S&P Global Ratings revised the outlook on Arizona’s AA issuer rating to positive from stable, citing the state’s “robust” economic growth, as well as its financial management. The move points to an expectation of a one-in-three chance of a rating upgrade over the next two years, according to the rating agency.  Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs

A coalition organized by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has filed three lawsuits to allow the launch of congestion pricing.  Lander and his allies hope the lawsuits will force the defendants — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — to begin the

Municipals were mixed Thursday, while U.S. Treasuries were firmer five years and out and equities ended mixed after data showed the economy grew at a hotter-than-expected pace in the second quarter. “News that U.S. economic growth accelerated faster than expected in the second quarter has sent market participants on a roller-coaster ride,” said José Torres,

Municipals were a basis point or two weaker out long Wednesday as U.S. Treasuries were mixed and equities sold off. The muni market is “well positioned” to start the third quarter, said Daniel J. Close, head of municipals at Nuveen. Supply “increased meaningfully” in the second as issuers came to market with long-delayed deals “due

The Louisiana State Bond Commission approved three bond issues totaling more than $3 billion on Wednesday. The commission approved a $1.33 billion to $2 billion bond to be backed by tolls on the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge, a state general obligation bond of up to $1 billion, and gave preliminary approval to a state gas