Bonds

It’s a foregone conclusion the Federal Open Market Committee won’t raise the fed funds target rate at its Sept. 19-20 meeting, so the market will concentrate on the updated Summary of Economic Projections and Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference. “The Fed will try to deliver a hawkish hold on September 20, also driving home the

Guam Gov. Lourdes Leon Guerrero let a Senate-passed $1.168 billion budget go into law without her signature, despite her concerns about use of a rainy-day fund, executive branch appropriation and “phantom” revenues. The Senate passed the budget on Aug. 30, with nine Democrats voting in favor and six Republicans voting against. Leon Guerrero, a Democrat,

Municipals were a touch weaker to close out the week ahead of a smaller new-issue calendar and the Federal Open Market Committee meeting. U.S. Treasuries closed out weaker while equities were in the red. Triple-A yields rose one to three basis points, depending on the curve, while USTs rose three to four. The two-year muni-to-Treasury

Port and shipping industry experts discussed the past and future of New York and New Jersey’s ports at an event hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York this month. The “Ports of Tomorrow” event was carried out in partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Regional Plan

As the appropriations tug of war goes back and forth in Congress, municipalities are concerned about a wide range of federally-supported infrastructure projects which might end up on the chopping block. The National Association of Counties is already ringing a warning bell via a letter addressed to both chambers of Congress imploring the need  to “prioritize federal

For a market anchored by self-regulation and tax-exemption, creeping regulation and political crossfire are nothing new, but also show no sign of abating — look no further than the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “regulation by enforcement” and the hyper-politicization of environmental, social and governance investing factors. That’s the message from a group of municipal market

California lawmakers ended their session Thursday with a flurry of legislation, including a bill that would allow striking workers to collect unemployment. The bill, strongly supported by labor unions, but opposed by the California Chamber of Commerce, would allow striking workers to collect unemployment benefits after being on strike for two weeks. Senate Bill 799,

The Department of the Treasury has been handed another loss in its multi-state battle to uphold the American Rescue Plan’s Offset Provision, the statute that bars states from using federal coronavirus funds directly or indirectly for tax cuts, after judges in the Eleventh Circuit declined to review its previous decision handed down in January. That’s

Moody’s Investors Service rated the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s controversial issuance of initial debt for a $5 billion, 15-year expansion program Aa3 with a stable outlook.  The rating agency, which previously considered a debt increase for the ACCESS (Advancing and Connecting Communities and Economies Safely Statewide) Oklahoma program a negative credit factor for OTA, was the

Detroit raised its revenue estimates this week, as city finance officials tout their stewardship of the Motor City eight years after its exit from Chapter 9 bankruptcy. General Fund revenue estimates total $1.28 billion in the current fiscal year, up $31 million from the previous conference estimates, according to Monday’s Revenue Estimating Conference. “The steady

Florida’s unemployment rate remained at 2.7% last month, unchanged from July’s rate and August 2022’s level, the Florida Department of Commerce reported Friday. This contrasts to the national rate of 3.8%, which rose 0.3 percentage point last month from 3.5% in July. It was the 34th month in a row the state’s jobless rate remained below

Municipals were little changed Thursday as U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities rallied. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Thursday was at 63%, the three-year was at 64%, the five-year at 66%, the 10-year at 70% and the 30-year at 90%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. read. ICE Data Services had the two-year at 64%, the

As transit agencies across the country face a dreaded fiscal cliff when federal stimulus dollars dry up, those agencies that win permanent revenue from their states and local governments will boost their profile while others will see their credit erode. That’s the view of experts who spoke at a transit panel Wednesday at The Bond

A Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bondholder and bond insurer asked an appeals court to quickly approve the appointment of a receiver of their choosing with the hope that they can take over the authority and get a better deal than the Oversight Board’s plan of adjustment. GoldenTree Asset Management and bond insurer Syncora Guarantee

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson addressed municipal bond investors and other market participants for the first time Wednesday during The Bond Buyer’s infrastructure conference in Chicago, the same day the administration floated a budget forecast showing a $538 million gap heading into next year. Johnson, in a fireside chat with Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski, said

San Diego Unified School District expects to price next week $670 million of green and sustainability general obligation bonds with a refunding component for savings. The bonds will support California’s second largest school district’s massive modernization and building program, help it stay on track to be powered 100% by clean energy by 2035 and provide

A record number of tourists came to New York State last year, pumping more than $78.6 billion of direct spending into the local economy. The 291.5 million tourists who visited the Empire State also generated roughly $123 billion in financial impact for the economy in 2022, according to reports issued by Tourism Economics on Wednesday.

Municipals were slightly weaker in spots Wednesday, largely ignoring the mixed reactions of other markets following the release of a hotter-than-expected consumer price index figure. The focus was on the primary where the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York priced for institutions with yields lowered by up to five basis points from the

Atlanta is taking another step forward on a massive urban revitalization project nearly two decades in the making. City officials this week commissioned a transit planning study for a 13-mile stretch of the Atlanta BeltLine project, an effort launched in 2005 to create a network of public parks, pedestrian paths, and new transit options centered

Outstanding Illinois debt is now smoke-free after the state defeased the last $449 million of bonds backed by payments from a master settlement agreement with tobacco companies.  Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the move, which was included in Illinois’ fiscal 2024 budget, will save the state $50 million. “Today’s action reflects Illinois’ strong fiscal position and

Chicago’s is facing a $538 million budget gap for fiscal 2024, according to the budget forecast released Wednesday. “The projected budget gap paints a realistic picture of our city’s financial condition, which will require careful consideration and strategic action,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson.  “In the coming weeks, we will be taking a much closer look at the challenges we face and how we will