Bonds

S&P Global Ratings revised the outlook on Louisiana’s general obligation bonds to positive from stable and affirmed the state’s rating at AA-minus. The rating action comes in connection with Louisiana’s next planned GO sale, the $251.1 million Series 2023-A competitive deal slated for April 13, according to Refinitiv.. “The outlook revision reflects our view of

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board said Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bondholders are making “unreasonable” demands in their discovery in the agency’s bankruptcy. “The bondholders’ approach to discovery in this case has been marked by unreasonable demands and timelines,” the board said through its attorney in a response filed late Friday in the bankruptcy. “The

Walt Disney Co. pushed through changes limiting the powers of the municipal authority that governs its Florida theme parks ahead of a controversial takeover by representatives of Gov. Ron DeSantis. The changes were quietly approved last month by the outgoing board of the Reedy Creek Improvement District, the entity that provides fire protection, electricity and

March municipal bond issuance dropped 30% year-over-year, as issuers this month dealt with Silicon Valley Bank collapse-induced volatility in the U.S. Treasury market, rising interest rates and an uncertain outcome for Federal Open Market Committee meeting. Total volume for the month was $31.795 billion in 515 issues, down from $45.555 billion in 985 issues a

Municipal bonds finished trading little changed Friday as the market rode out the end of the month and the first quarter on a calm note as Treasuries strengthened and stocks surged. While munis came into March like a lamb, they went out like a lioness, calm and proud. The two-year muni-Treasury ratio was at 58%,

New Jersey’s wind energy industry is under fire following somemarine mammal deaths that the industry’s opponents blame on the development of offshore platforms along the state’s coastline. On Thursday, protests in Trenton calling for a moratorium on offshore platform development were followed by an announcement by Republican U.S. Representative Van Drew, whose district includes Atlantic

New York State lawmakers look likely to miss the deadline to have a new budget in place before the start of the state’s fiscal year on April 1. Last year the budget was approved a week late. “The governor and Legislature are discussing many important issues as they work to finalize the state budget, but

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bondholders, the bond trustee, and bond insurers asked for certification of their appeal on bondholder liens but there are signals the judge isn’t inclined to grant it. On Friday morning District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain not only rejected considering issues bondholders wanted treated separately, but she also set deadlines

Municipals and U.S. Treasuries moved in lock step Thursday with both triple-A benchmark yields and UST yields slightly firmer throughout most of the curve. Equities ended up. The two-year muni-UST ratio was at 58%, the three-year at 59%, the five-year at 61%, the 10-year at 64% and the 30-year at 89%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s

Idaho lawmakers resurrected and reworked a property tax relief bill that Gov. Brad Little vetoed earlier this week, saying the original legislation put a transportation bond sale in jeopardy. Little vetoed House Bill 292 because it re-ordered the priority of statutory claims on sales taxes, putting property tax relief ahead of the state’s Transportation Expansion

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board has filed proposed amendments with the Securities and Exchange Commission aimed at shortening the settlement cycle to one business day for broker-dealer transactions. The proposed amendments to Rule G-12 on uniform practices and G-15 on confirmation, clearance and settlement practices are being advanced in an effort to bring the rules

Municipals were little changed throughout most of the curve in secondary trading Wednesday as the primary took focus with the sale of $1.2 billion of general obligation bonds from New York City in two deals. U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities rallied. The two-year muni-UST ratio was at 59%, the three-year at 59%, the five-year

The U.S. Supreme Court declined Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi’s petition for certiorari on an appeals court decision that supported the Puerto Rico Oversight Board’s ability to reject local laws based on their fiscal impact. At issue in the case were four laws the local government passed in 2019 and 2020, but the larger concern

Municipals were steady to firmer in spots Tuesday, while U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended down. The two-year muni-UST ratio was at 59%, the three-year at 60%, the five-year at 61%, the 10-year at 64% and the 30-year at 89%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the two-year

South Carolina’s embattled comptroller announced he will resign next month, after state investigators held him responsible for a multi-billion dollar accounting error. Comptroller General Richard Eckstrom, who’s held the position for the last 20 years and was unopposed in last year’s election, said in a letter of resignation Thursday he wanted to give legislators time

Experts are confounded by Puerto Rico bankruptcy Judge Laura Taylor Swain’s debtor-centric interpretation of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act. The Puerto Rico Oversight Board’s latest proposed Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority plan of adjustment would give bondholders a payout as little as 0.21%, and a ruling Swain made last week could

Wisconsin’s Republican legislative majority delivered its latest rebuke to Gov. Tony Evers’ biennial spending plan with their rejection of the Democrat’s $3.8 billion capital plan. The State Building Commission — which includes Evers, four Republican members, two Democrats, and a citizen voting member — rejected all of Evers’ line items at its meeting Thursday in

Moody’s Investors Service raised the outlook on Guam to positive from stable on Thursday. The outlook is on the Ba1 rating of the territory’s general obligation, special tax rating, and the Ba2 rating on its certificates of participation rating, all of which were affirmed. The improved outlook stems from Guam’s improved financial position resulting from

New York officials are looking with caution as the fallout from the Signature and Silicon Valley Bank failures casts a pall over budget negotiations. Both the city and the state are working on their fiscal 2024 budgets. The state’s fiscal year begins April 1 while the city’s starts on July 1. Amid rising inflation and

A Texas House committee ditched an appropriation to potentially pay off $3.52 billion of recently issued bonds from a natural gas securitization deal, but left open the possibility for the funding’s return. Thursday’s action by the House Appropriations Committee approving its version of a supplemental appropriations bill without the funding came the same day the

Lawmakers in Maine hoping to avoid a government shutdown at the turn of the fiscal year are working to cleave Gov. Janet Mills’ $10.3 billion biennial budget proposal in two. The state Senate’s Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee announced on Thursday a plan to partition the governor’s proposal for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 into

Municipals finished out a nerve-wracking week on a strong note, with yields falling by as much as nine basis points on the short end while U.S. Treasuries strengthened and equities came under pressure. As holders of bank stocks headed for the exits and muni investors looked on nervously from the sidelines as the Federal Open

German automaker Volkswagen is set to receive $1.3 billion in state aid under an economic development deal signed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster on Monday, backing the construction of a new electric-vehicle production plant 20 miles north of the capital, Columbia. The $2 billion planned factory will produce electric vehicles under the Scout nameplate,

Municipals were slightly firmer in spots, while U.S. Treasuries extended their rally once more and equities ended up. The two-year muni-UST ratio was at 65%, the three-year at 66%, the five-year at 68%, the 10-year at 69% and the 30-year at 93%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the

Municipals were mixed Wednesday as U.S. Treasuries rallied following the Federal Open Market Committee’s decision to hike rates a quarter point. Equities sold off. The two-year muni-UST ratio was at 64%, the three-year at 65%, the five-year at 67%, the 10-year at 69% and the 30-year at 93%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET

Whether the not-for-profit hospital sector earns its exemptions from taxes and the related ability to issue tax-exempt debt takes center stage in a new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis. The foundation’s report values the benefits of tax-exempt status for hospitals at nearly $12 billion more than the amount of discounted and free care they provided in

Municipals were little changed Tuesday, while U.S. Treasuries extended their sell-off and equities rallied. The two-year muni-UST ratio was at 60%, the three-year at 60%, the five-year at 63%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 91%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the two at 64%, three

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bondholders asked a magistrate to intervene on discovery issues but were rebuffed. Magistrate Judith Dein, who is handling discovery matters, denied the request because the Oversight Board said it was still considering bondholders’ discovery requests. She ordered the sides to continue to negotiate, with the bondholders filing a status report

After turning down several chances to legalize sports betting this year, Georgia lawmakers will face another vote on the matter before the end of the legislative session on March 29. The Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee voted 8-1 on Thursday to amend an existing bill designating a local soapbox derby race as the state’s

The Virgin Islands Superior Court ruled the territory’s Senate has the power to alter the Water and Power Authority’s board of directors, a decision one municipal bond analyst called a credit positive. The court upheld a Senate bill requiring board members to have greater expertise in energy, technology, economics, and finance; reducing the number of