Bonds

Dallas County, Texas, is set to price $150 million of certificates of obligation Wednesday, the county’s first issuance after a six-year hiatus from the municipal bond market. The issuance follows the county’s opening of a renovated Records Building Complex, a project backed with proceeds from a $168 million deal from 2016, the last time the

Short-end munis extended their days long selloff, continuing to play catch up to short-end U.S. Treasuries, as triple-A munis correct from recent outperformance relative to taxables. USTs were firmer, while equities were up near the close. Triple-A benchmarks rose 11 to 15 basis points on the one-year and three to eight basis points in two

Heavy competition for a significantly lower volume of municipal bonds drove a sharp decline in overall underwriting spreads to $3.54 in the first half of 2022, the lowest level in 20 years. The latest data from Refinitiv representing the first six months of 2022 underscores what has been a steady and developing trend over the

Smaller-sized cities and towns worried they won’t be able to snag a piece of the infrastructure dollars unleashed in the new federal law have until the end of the month to apply for a first-of-its-kind program aimed at boosting their chances. The “specialized training boot camps” led by the National League of Cities will help

The federal infrastructure package will boost Illinois’ six-year transportation spending by $4 billion, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Friday. The state will spend an overall $24.6 billion under the six-year program for roads and bridges with $3.7 billion in spending during the current fiscal year. About $18.8 billion goes to roads with the remainder spent on

California lawmakers’ focus on one-time spending in the budget approved July 1 keeps the state on track for a potential rating upgrade one year out from receiving a positive outlook from S&P, but challenges remain. The state’s fiscal 2023 adopted budget “projects long-term structural balance through fiscal 2026, despite a projected multibillion dollar rise and

Short-end munis sold off Friday as pressure from two-year U.S. Treasury yields as well as rising floating-rate muni yields have begun to hit the triple-A yield curves. Treasuries were better five years and out while equities rallied to close out the week. Triple-A curves saw yields rise by as much as eight to 10 basis

The U.S. House of Representatives Friday sent President Joe Biden a long-debated climate, tax and healthcare bill. The legislation passed with a vote of 220 to 207 along party lines. Biden’s signature will mark the final chapter for an 18-month-long saga marked by intense negotiations among Democrats, who used a parliamentary procedure called reconciliation to

Municipal bond issuance in the Northeast slumped by 18.3% year-over-year for the first half of 2022 as taxable sales plunged more than 60%, according to data compiled by Refinitiv. The region’s issuers sold $49.69 billion of municipal bonds in 870 issues, after selling $60.78 billion in 1,234 issues during the first half of 2021. The

If all goes according to plan, municipal markets will see the largest ESG bond pricing ever next week as Massachusetts prepares to issue $2.7 billion of taxable business-tax backed special obligation revenue bonds. The sale of the socially designated bonds was delayed in July as state lawmakers debated a last-minute spending bill that would allocate

In one of the largest funding awards yet under the bipartisan infrastructure package, the Biden administration Thursday is announcing $2.2 billion for 166 projects across the country. The money is part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity, or RAISE program, a longtime popular grant program that’s seen its annual funding double under

Chicago’s heads into 2023 budget season with a $127.9 million gap to close, offering the market a key fiscal update as the buy-side heads to town for the city’s annual investors’ conference. The shortfall unveiled by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her finance team Wednesday marks a sharp decline from the last three years. Lightfoot came

Republicans on the Senate Banking Committee are vowing to pursue legislation mandating more transparency from the Federal Reserve after learning the central bank had documents regarding former Fed nominee Sarah Bloom Raskin that the bank never divulged to Congress. In a letter sent Tuesday to Fed Chair Jerome Powell, 11 GOP members of the committee

It was all about the primary Tuesday, with a lightly traded secondary market taking the back seat doing little to move triple-A yield curves in either direction, as large deals from Minnesota, the Los Angeles Department of Airports, San Antonio, Texas, and Philadelphia were the focus. U.S. Treasuries were weaker on the short end and

Cook County, Illinois, heads into the market this week with two deals totaling nearly $500 million that will benefit from an outlook from boost from Moody’s Investors Service over its healthy fund balances. The $215 million sales tax transaction pricing Tuesday offers two tranches to refund outstanding debt and take out a credit line that

It was a steady start to the week, with municipal triple-A yield curves little changed, U.S. Treasuries took a break from last week’s volatility to close out firmer across the curve while equities were mixed. Muni-UST ratios on Monday were at 61% in five years, 81% in 10 years and 97% in 30 years, according

The Senate is set to take action Saturday on a newly inked budget reconciliation bill that continues to lack municipal market priorities but includes climate and energy provisions that issuers support. Under a deal struck to gain the vote of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., the bill now features a slightly revised 15% corporate minimum tax

The indictment of former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez on bribery charges damages the reputation of her political party, according to some analysts, but since her party is the only one advocating statehood for the island, the pain may be limited. Still, the arrest should have no impact on how long the Puerto Rico Oversight

A budget impasse that’s left Trenton, New Jersey, without an approved budget well into the new fiscal year continues, despite a recent brush with default. Beset by political rivalries, the state capital’s seven-member City Council, which must approve annual spending according to local law, has as of yet failed to produce the majority vote necessary

The Ontario City Council approved a sales tax measure Tuesday for the November 8 ballot to fund $1.2 billion of infrastructure projects, and other local governments in California are expected to take similar steps. The November midterms are expected to be particularly popular this year for tax and bond measures among cities, counties and school

Municipals sold off Friday with the front end of the curve being hit the hardest, though damage was felt across the curve. Triple-A benchmarks outperformed a U.S. Treasury rout where yields rose double-digits, and equities were down near the close. Nearly all triple-A benchmark yields were cut six to 10 basis points and UST yields

Retired Wisconsin Capital Finance Director Frank Hoadley — who left an influential mark on the public finance industry as a champion of issuer advocacy and best marketplace practices — died unexpectedly this week. He was 77. Hoadley was traveling with his wife, Elizabeth, in Scotland when he died. “Frank Hoadley was a giant among the

An Oklahoma regulatory official, who has raised concerns about the impact of the state’s first utility securitization bond sale on ratepayers, on Thursday called for an independent assessment of the pricing as three other deals are pending. Bob Anthony, one of three commissioners at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), continued to question the July 8

The Federal Reserve is committed to cooling inflation and needs to raise interest rates to a little above 4% to ease demand, Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester said. “We’re committed to getting inflation down” to the 2% target, which will require more rate increases, Mester said during an event hosted by the Economic

Municipals were weaker Wednesday, U.S. Treasuries were mixed and equities rallied. Muni-UST ratios were at 61% in five years, 79% in 10 years and 96% in 30 years, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. read. ICE Data Services had the five at 61%, the 10 at 83% and the 30 at 95% at a 3:30

Puerto Rico bankruptcy Judge Laura Taylor Swain approved the extension of mediation discussions for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority for the fourth time this year. Swain ordered the mediation to continue to at least Aug. 15, with the mediation team being given the authority to extend the mediation deadline until Sept. 9. In late

The North Carolina Local Government Commission on Tuesday approved the city of Charlotte’s request to issue more than $1 billion of bonds and notes for infrastructure work. Charlotte had asked the LGC for approval to issue $535 million of revenue bonds to finance water, wastewater and sewer plants and lines. Part of the proceeds will

Federal Reserve officials said they want strong evidence that the hottest inflation in four decades is on a sustainable downward path before declaring victory in their fight against it. With consumer prices rising 9.1% in June from a year earlier, the Fed has “a long way to go” on reaching price stability around a 2%

John Luke Tyner, fixed income analyst at Aptus Capital Advisors, discusses yield curve inversion with Bond Buyer Managing Editor Gary Siegel. Tyner looks at recession possibilities and how the Federal Reserve’s actions will impact the economy, the yield curve and recession. (23 minutes) Transcription:Gary Siegel: (00:03) Hi, and welcome to another Bond Buyer podcast. I’m

Municipals were mostly firmer to kick off August, while U.S. Treasuries rallied out long and equities were in the red near the close. Muni-UST ratios on Monday were at 67% in five years, 84% in 10 years and 98% in 30 years, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. read. ICE Data Services had the five