Bonds

The stock market decline of 2022 is projected to push the unfunded liabilities of state-run pension systems to $1.3 trillion for the fiscal year, according to a Reason Foundation analysis. The steps taken by states to bolster pension funds by lowering anticipated return rates during boom years combined with record-setting investment returns in 2021 isn’t

Municipals were little changed to close out the week, while U.S. Treasury yields fell slightly and equities rallied. Muni to UST ratios were at 65% in five years, 83% in 10 years and 96% in 30 years, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. read. ICE Data Services had the five at 64%, the 10 at

Next week’s planned sale of $2.7 billion of taxable business-tax backed special obligation revenue bonds by Massachusetts is being postponed as state lawmakers negotiate a bill that could affect the plan. A bill was introduced earlier this week, according to a notice from Jefferies LLC and BofA Securities, joint book-running senior managers for the deal,

U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., submitted a bill Friday for a binding plebiscite on Puerto Rico’s political status, but its chances of passage are slim. The bill would offer Puerto Rico voters three options: statehood, independence, and sovereignty in free association with the United States. The current status as a territory would not be offered.

Municipals were little changed in secondary trading, as eyes turned toward the primary market’s large revenue deals from the New York State Thruway Authority and the Colorado Health Facilities Authority. The 2/10 U.S. Treasury curve significantly inverted after the June consumer price index report came in hotter than expected at 9.1%, further stoking recession fears

Hawaii Gov. David Ige described his lame-duck session as governor as cooperative even as he released a record number of vetoes. Ige, who terms out in December after eight years in office, vetoed 26 measures entirely and line-item vetoed two items in the state’s supplemental budget for fiscal 2021-23. The legislative session demonstrated “that we

Federal Reserve Gov. Christopher Waller said he supports a three-quarter percentage-point increase in the benchmark lending rate later this month after seeing the latest jump in the consumer price index but could vote for more aggressive action if coming economic reports point to further inflation risks. “With the CPI data in hand, I support another

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said “everything is in play” for policy action after data showed that U.S. inflation accelerated again to a fresh four-decade high last month. “The top-line number is a source of concern,” Bostic told reporters Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Florida. “Everything is in play.” Asked if that included

Virginia Wong, a 27-year veteran of the municipal bond industry, has been chosen to lead Nixon Peabody LLP’s project finance and public finance practice as the firm continues to expand its business. Wong, who has been with the firm since 1995, takes over the role from Kenneth Lind, who has led the practice since 2018

The condition of infrastructure projects should be priced into municipal bond offerings, as many infrastructure assets around the country have turned into liabilities due to a lack of investment over the years. That’s according to Rich Ciccarone, president and chief executive officer of Merritt Research Services, speaking on a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and

Santa Fe, New Mexico, city officials are fretting that a late fiscal 2021 financial audit could lead the state government to withhold state bond proceeds earmarked for city capital projects. The audited financials for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021, are seven months past a Dec. 15, 2021, due date in the latest

Municipals took a breather and were little changed Thursday, while U.S. Treasuries were mixed as the 2/10 UST curve flattened but remained inverted, sending worrisome recession signs. Equities ended in the red. Muni to UST ratios were at 65% in five years, 82% in 10 years and 96% in 30 years, according to Refinitiv MMD’s

Hospital and health system mega-mergers took the spotlight in the second quarter as the number of mergers and acquisitions dropped year-over-year while revenues involved in those deals hit record levels. The sector saw 13 announced deals, down from 14 in the second quarters of both 2021 and 2020 and a seven-year high of 31 in

The Federal Reserve’s Inspector General said Chair Jerome Powell and former Vice Chair Richard Clarida’s trading activity had not broken any laws or rules, but the probe into the former heads of the Dallas and Boston regional Fed banks remained open. “We did not find evidence to substantiate the allegations that former Vice Chair Clarida

Massachusetts plans to bring $2.7 billion of taxable business-tax backed special obligation revenue bonds with a social designation, marking the largest environmental, social and governance deal to date in the municipal market. The deal is also one of the larger taxable deals in 2022 in a year that has seen a significant drop in taxable

Los Angeles International Airport received a $50 million grant from the federal infrastructure bill for terminal road improvements, among the largest dispersed from the $1 billion allocated to 85 airports nationally. The grants are the first allotment in a five-year, $5 billion airport terminal grant program funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Transportation

Municipals were mixed to close out a quiet summer Friday session ahead of a larger new-issue calendar that sees several billion-dollar deals. Triple-A benchmark yields once again largely ignored a selloff in U.S. Treasuries after a robust jobs report indicated the Federal Reserve will likely hike interest rates another 75 basis points at its next

The Supreme Court decision in Carson v. Makin may render unconstitutional issuer statutes that prohibit the use of bond proceeds for religious purposes. The court ruled last month that if a state chooses to subsidize private education, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because of religious affiliation. The ruling could change the way some

Municipals were steady to firmer in secondary trading Thursday as a large airport revenue bond offering from the City and County of Denver, Colorado, and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority’s MTA deal took the focus. Municipals continued to ignore the movements of U.S. Treasuries, which saw yields rise for the second day, while equities

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s proposed fee amendments submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission are catching backlash from muni industry leaders over a perceived failure to address the discrepancy between fees collected from dealers and municipal advisors, in addition to a lack of transparency over ithe budgeting process. That’s according to letters submitted to

Municipals rallied Wednesday, ignoring a selloff in U.S. Treasuries, after the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes reiterated the Fed’s position it would raise rates 50 to 75 basis points at its July meeting to stave off inflation. Equities ended slightly up.. Municipals were in their own lane Wednesday and triple-A yields fell four to

A Colorado law will for the first time give state agencies the ability to enter into public private partnerships, while a bill pending in Illinois would extend the authority to state agencies and all local governments.   The new Colorado law features a broad statute for P3 authority, with advocates like Gov. Jared Polis saying

Municipal yields fell for the third session in a row following the flight-to-safety bid in U.S. Treasuries as recession concerns continue to grow. Equities were mixed. Triple-A benchmark yields were bumped three to six basis points Tuesday with the strongest moves out long. Falling yields over the past two weeks have been “a welcome sigh

Illinois opened the new fiscal year with a near clean slate on bill payments and $1 billion in its once-barren rainy day fund, but the state’s latest financial results offer a contrast that underscores the weight of pension and long-term debts on the state’s balance sheet as viewed through an accounting lens. The near-term picture

An income tax on wealthy Californians that supporters say would raise $100 billion over 20 years to reduce wildfire risk and support a transition to electric cars, has qualified for the ballot. A coalition of environmental groups, public health advocates, firefighters and unions, collected 1 million signatures, well over the 623,212 needed, to qualify The

Elizabeth Reich, who wrapped up her final day as Dallas chief financial officer on Thursday, will be joining Dallas Area Rapid Transit starting July 18. DART announced on Friday that Reich, as its new CFO, will be a key member of the executive team, reporting to President & CEO Nadine Lee and leading the agency’s

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board again imposed the fiscal 2023 budget on the Puerto Rico’s central government. While the board had reached a consensus budget with the local legislature and Gov. Pedro Pierluisi in June 2021 for fiscal 2022, there was little cooperation with the board this year, said Board Member Antonio Medina. The Puerto

Municipals were stronger following along with, but underperforming U.S. Treasuries, which extended their rally and saw yields fall even further to start the second half of the year on continued recessionary fears. Equities ended in the black. Triple-A yields fell by four to seven basis points while USTs saw yields fall by up to 16

A new fund dedicated to advancing social equity and led by an NBA veteran and a leading municipal firm is moving into New York State’s growing cannabis industry. Social Equity Impact Ventures, LLC, a premier minority-led investment team, will sponsor and manage the New York Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund. This first-of-its-kind $200 million fund will be

Analysts expect climate change, combined with the political realities of either addressing the effects of it or not, will have increasing impacts on municipal credit in the coming years. Droughts, fires, flooding, changed temperature patterns, reduced snow cover, and higher sea levels may all come from climate change and all have the potential to impact