Bonds

Municipal yields rose double digits Friday bringing levels to highs not seen since early April 2020. The short end of triple-A scales has risen more than 30 basis points over the past five sessions on elevated selling pressure and overall market volatility. Triple-A yields rose by six to 10 basis points and ratios increased again

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board passed a fiscal plan Thursday with 18% more spending through fiscal 2026 compared to the fiscal plan it approved in April. The fiscal plan projects $107.5 billion in Puerto Rico government spending and federal spending for Puerto Rico, from the current fiscal year to fiscal 2026. The April fiscal plan

A state-approved pension enhancement for some Chicago firefighters adds $180 million to the fund’s existing $5.29 billion of unfunded liabilities and $16 million to $17 million in additional annual costs that add up to $700 million by 2055. The legislative change approved last year and signed by Gov. J.B Pritzker made permanent a cost-of-living adjustment

Municipals continued their ascent to higher yields Wednesday, even before the Federal Open Market Committee said it would “soon” raise interest rates. U.S. Treasury yields spiked following the FOMC statement and Chairman Jerome Powell’s comments. “Powell’s seeming unwillingness to dismiss some of the more-hawkish scenarios for the path of policy this year, leaving all options

Municipals faced more cuts to triple-A benchmark yields with the five-year hitting 1%, a level not seen on Refinitiv MMD’s curve since May 2020 and the 10-year at 1.34%, a high not seen since April 2020 when the market was in recovery from the initial COVID-induced selloff. U.S. Treasuries were slightly weaker while equities ended

The broad nature of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s request for information on environmental, social, and governance practices in the municipal securities market is worrying some industry advocacy groups. Representatives from the National Association of Municipal Advisors, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and the National Association of Bond Lawyers discussed the issue Monday

Selling pressure on the short end continued on Monday and triple-A benchmark yields were cut by as much as five basis points there while U.S. Treasuries pared back earlier gains and equities rebounded from a large selloff earlier in the day. Ratios rose with the day’s moves with the municipal to UST five-year at 64%,

State and local governments are poised to withstand some of the Omicron-related economic damages thanks to more robust rainy day funds and billions of unspent federal aid, industry experts believe. “It’s continuing, unfortunately, and we’re in the middle of another surge right now,” said Eric Kim, senior director at Fitch Ratings, at the Volcker Alliance

Justin Brannan will head the New York City Council Finance Committee, Speaker Adrienne Adams announced. “My charge is to make sure we are spending wisely, safeguarding our city’s financial future, and fortifying the city’s social safety net for New Yorkers who need it most,” Brannan, a hardcore punk rocker before turning to politics, said when

Puerto Rico bankruptcy Judge Laura Taylor Swain approved qualifying modifications to Puerto Rico Infrastructure and Finance Authority and Convention Center District Authority debt that included deep cuts to outstanding bonds. Swain issued her orders and findings of fact and conclusions of law on Thursday, affecting $1.9 billion of PRIFA bonds and $384 million of CCDA

The White House is urging cities and towns to set up infrastructure coordinators to take advantage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. White House Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu, speaking Friday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ winter meeting, said local officials should appoint advisors and task forces to coordinate with state and federal agencies

The University of Michigan’s healthy balance sheet puts it in a strong fiscal position to manage the cost of a $490 million legal settlement for abuse allegations against a former sports doctor, but it’s too early to assess whether its top ratings will escape future fallout. Rating agency analysts will have their eye on more

Maryland’s beleaguered Purple Line light rail project is set to tap the market with up to $700 million of private activity bonds marking a fresh round of financing to restart the long-delayed public private partnership. Purple Line Transit Partners, the private concessionaire overseeing the project, is poised to price the PABs in “coming weeks” as

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve released a long-awaited report examining the potential ramifications of issuing a digital version of the U.S. dollar, saying it would not create one without a clear directive from elected officials. The 40-page report, released Thursday, coincides with a request for feedback from the Fed on the impact of a hypothetical

While many observers welcomed the bankruptcy judge’s approval of the Puerto Rico Plan of Adjustment, some warned the current restructuring is not a cure all for the island’s underlying fiscal troubles. Participants say there is a long road to sustainable recovery for the island that is dependent on the local government keeping its spending in

Municipals faced another weaker day with benchmark yield curves seeing two to four basis point cuts, underperforming a slightly better U.S. Treasury market, while equities ended in the red. Munis played catch up to the large selloff in Treasuries since Friday, holding municipal to UST ratios steady. The five-year was at 54%, 68% in 10

Municipals outperformed another large selloff in U.S. Treasuries that pushed that market to the highest yields since before the pandemic began while equities also saw massive losses as the markets fully digest an expected March rate hike. Triple-A benchmark yields saw two to four basis point cuts across the curve Tuesday while the 2-, 5-

U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain approved the Plan of Adjustment for Puerto Rico’s central government bonds and obligations Tuesday afternoon, setting the stage for the commonwealth to exit bankruptcy after more than four years of intense negotiations over its massive debts. The action sets the restructuring terms for about $33 billion of debts

Newly released transcripts of Federal Reserve policy meetings in 2016 show then-Governors Jerome Powell and Lael Brainard were quick to pivot away from planned interest-rate hikes in the face of risks posed by a stumbling Chinese economy. Both policy makers made clear in the year’s January meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee they believed

In 2021, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York overtook the state of California for the top spot. New York City, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Ohio Buckeye Tobacco Financing Authority, the New York Urban Development Corp., New Jersey and Massachusetts were ousted from the top 10 in 2021. All the

The top municipal underwriters accounted for $456.44 billion in 11,808 transactions for 2021 compared to $451.24 billion in 11,849 deals in 2020. BofA Securities led with $62.01 billion of deals. Out of the top five, only BofA Securities and Morgan Stanley increased market share year-over-year. Stifel Nicolas & Co. moved into the top 10, while

North Idaho College had its outlook revised to negative by Moody’s after management turmoil, including the firing of its president, put the accreditation of the two-year college at risk. If the two-year college loses accreditation, credits students received for completed classes would not be eligible to transfer to a university. Loss of accreditation could put

The Internal Revenue Service has revised its Form 8038-CP to facilitate electronic filing, which will be out later this year. “The January 2022 revisions simplifies the filing process for issuers when providing certain explanations and supplemental information,” the IRS said in an instructional video introducing the new form. “Additionally, revisions to the form were needed

Local officials Friday hailed the U.S. Department of Transportation’s rollout of a nearly $28 billion bridge program that highlights spending on smaller, local bridges across the country. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $40 billion in funding for bridges over the next five years, including $27.5 billion in the Bridge Formula Program. The program

Chicago Public Schools’ $872 million of junk-rated paper met with a more fickle high-yield audience this week, underscoring the district’s vulnerability to market volatility even as it inches closer to investment grade status. At attractive spreads that offered a healthy yield kick with many maturities offering 4% coupons, the bonds were 2.2 times oversubscribed, CPS

Municipals ended the week steady to slightly weaker in spots, even as U.S. Treasuries sold off and equities ended mixed on inflation concerns and more hawkish Fed speak. Municipal yields have risen in response to Treasuries, but were mostly unmoved by Friday’s selloff, again lagging taxable counterparts as munis are wont to do on a

A suburban Chicago hotel and conference center’s COVID-induced struggles led to a fresh default on its restructured bonds this month. Breathing room still remains for the Westin Chicago Lombard debt from a bondholder-provided loan that is helping manage the pandemic’s toll on operations and continue renovations designed to enhance its appeal. Defaults occurred in mid-2020

Municipal benchmark yields were steady to firmer by a basis point 10-years and out Thursday as U.S. Treasuries were stronger and equities sold off led by tech stocks. The municipal primary dominated the day with several large deals pricing. The correction to higher yields over the past week is allowing investors to be more selective

Municipal bonds were largely unchanged Wednesday, the first session in a week in which benchmark yield curves were not cut, while the primary provided more guidance for a supply-starved market. U.S. Treasuries were flat 10-years and in, but softer on the long bond and equities ended in the black. Municipal to UST ratios rose slightly

Cuyahoga County hits the market Thursday with a mix of taxable and tax-exempt sales-tax-backed bonds to help finance a $435 million upgrade to the home of Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Guardians. The sale offers $123.4 million of ballpark improvement project tax-exempt paper and $67.5 million of taxables with maturities through 2037. KeyBanc Capital Markets and