Bonds

The banking sector crisis cast a wide net of influence over the municipal market this week, stirring pricing volatility, upending monetary policy predictions and raising questions among participants over how deep the troubles run and whether the potential contagion will roil economic prospects. Silvergate Bank’s March 8th announcement it was closing up shop led the
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A Biden administration proposal aimed at providing relief for transit agencies struggling with anemic ridership would benefit large agencies but could pressure smaller ones, local transit officials told a Senate panel Wednesday. President Joe Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget, unveiled last week, would free up $6.7 billion in so-called 5307 urbanized area grant formula grants
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Moody’s Investor’s Service raised the outlook on the A. B. Won Guam International Airport senior revenue bonds Baa2 rating to stable from negative Wednesday. Moody’s Lead Analyst William Oh said the improved outlook stemmed from Moody’s expectation that enplanement levels will continue to improve because South Korea and Japan have lifted COVID-19-related travel restrictions. The
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The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will not proceed with construction on a proposed AirTrain for LaGuardia Airport following the conclusion of a state-backed evaluation released this week. Transportation and construction industry experts “failed to identify a construction approach” that could overcome the “significant challenges and complexities” associated with plans for a
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Illinois drew a fresh rating upgrade Tuesday for making further progress in tackling its chronic fiscal sore spots. Moody’s Investors Service raised Illinois’ general obligation and sales tax-backed Build Illinois bonds by one notch to A3 from Baa1 and assigned a stable outlook. The upgrade also lifts the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority’s rating one
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The private partner in a prominent Maryland public-private partnership dropped out Thursday, citing environmental delays, lawsuits, and disagreements with the state, in a move that leaves the fate of the country’s largest P3 in doubt. Australia-based toll road operator Transurban, the lead partner in a consortium known as Accelerate Maryland Partners, said it had submitted
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President Biden’s proposed budget unveiled Thursday includes the lowering of the private activity bond threshold for Low Income Housing Tax Credits to 25% from 50% and muni lobbyists, though skeptical about the prospects of the budget passing as is, say they will work hard to include the provision in any final budget. “While the President’s
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Municipals were little changed in secondary trading Wednesday amid an active primary market with two billion-dollar deals priced, although details on one were not immediately available. U.S. Treasury yields were weaker in spots and equities ended mixed. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 59%, the five-year at 61%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year
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After a lackluster 2022, the pipeline for public-private partnership deals may fatten this year as federal infrastructure funds flow and the industry develops novel structures to manage risks from inflation and rising interest rates. That’s the top-line view from law firm Husch Blackwell, which Tuesday released its 2023 P3 trends report. Sectors poised for action
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Unsteady leadership has challenged the financial stability of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, according to a state review of the town’s financial management that was recently made public. High turnover rates in key government positions over the last decade left the Cape Cod town of 4,035 without sustainable revenue streams and in need of fundamental reforms, the Division
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The National Federation of Municipal Analysts has named Mark Capell, managing vice president of public finance for Build America Mutual’s West Region as its president for the 2023 year. The first bond insurer to serve as president of NFMA since Bill Hogan of Assured Guaranty’s 2009 term, Capell believes his experience in bond insurance gives
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The Federal Reserve said further interest-rate hikes would be required to restore price stability. “The committee is strongly committed to returning inflation to its 2% objective,” the Fed said in its semi-annual report to Congress released Friday. Officials expect “ongoing increases in the target range will be appropriate in order to attain a stance of
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Legislation seeking to end government contracts with companies engaged in “boycotting” an expanded list of industries and business policies passed the Utah House and Senate late Thursday. Senate Bill 97 builds on laws previously enacted in Texas and a few other states focusing on “boycotts” of the fossil fuel or firearm industries by adding timber,
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