Bonds

The financial health of publicly-funded pension plans is showing improvement thanks to booming markets, as analysts warn of complacency.   “Public plans are benefiting tremendously from favorable public and private equity markets, in addition to higher, safer returns from the global interest rate environment,” said Anthony Randazzo, executive director at the Equable Institute.  “The challenge for

A Utah judge voided a proposed constitutional amendment on the Nov. 5 statewide ballot that raised concerns about future state funding for K-12 public schools. If passed by voters, Amendment A would have provided more flexibility for Utah’s budget by tapping excess income tax revenue currently constitutionally earmarked mainly for public education. Utah Third District

The Governmental Accounting Standards Board has requested comment on a proposal that would add additional disclosure items related to infrastructure assets to issuers’ financial statements, a move that hopes to reexamine how such assets are recognized and measured and how issuers should go about reporting them. Joel Black, chair of the GASB said in an

By Bond Buyer Staff October 15, 2024 12:56 PM Rank Underwriter First 9 months 2024 par amount (USD) Market share (%) Number of issues 1 BofA Securities 62.6948 billion 16.86 359 2 J.P. Morgan Securities LLC 37.0075 billion 9.95 269 3 Morgan Stanley 33.2208 billion 8.93 154 4 RBC Capital Markets 32.3722 billion 8.71 348

Houston dodged a blow to its fiscal 2025 budget when Texas officials Wednesday freed up state funds to help pay the city’s share of costs to remove debris created by two fierce storms this year. The situation underscored fiscal problems the nation’s fourth-largest city faces from natural disasters that could compound its growing structural budget

RankMunicipal advisorFirst 9 months 2024 par amount (USD)Market shareNumber of issuesFirst 9 months 2023 par amount (USD millions)Market shareNumber of issues1PFM Financial Advisors LLC62.0602 billion19.4057643.4313 billion18.845002Public Resources Advisory Group45.0266 billion14.0711726.3871 billion11.441053Hilltop Securities23.4039 billion7.3235916.4167 billion7.123264Kaufman Hall & Associates Inc13.0056 billion4.07624.5247 billion1.96345Frasca & Associates12.9054 billion4.03×8.0842 billion3.51306KNN Public Finance8.0163 billion2.51544.3003 billion1.87377Acacia Financial Group Inc7.6603 billion2.39596.5488 billion2.84668Piper Sandler &

RankMunicipal advisorFirst 9 months 2024 par amount (USD)Market shareNumber of issuesFirst 9 months 2023 par amount (USD millions)Market shareNumber of issues1PFM Financial Advisors LLC62.0602 billion19.4057643.4313 billion18.845002Public Resources Advisory Group45.0266 billion14.0711726.3871 billion11.441053Hilltop Securities23.4039 billion7.3235916.4167 billion7.123264Kaufman Hall & Associates Inc13.0056 billion4.07624.5247 billion1.96345Frasca & Associates12.9054 billion4.03×8.0842 billion3.51306KNN Public Finance8.0163 billion2.51544.3003 billion1.87377Acacia Financial Group Inc7.6603 billion2.39596.5488 billion2.84668Piper Sandler &

After outperforming the larger weakness in U.S. Treasuries over the past week, municipals played some catch up Friday seeing pressure across the curve ahead of holiday-shortened, but still heavy supply week. Triple-A yields rose two to five basis points while Treasuries were stronger 10-years and in, to close out a week of more mixed economic

James McIntire, who served two terms as Washington state treasurer, died in August. He was 71. The cause was an aggressive and rare form of prostate cancer, his wife, Christina Koons, told the Seattle Times. An economics student and later professor at the University of Washington, McIntire’s first step into government service was as a

Investor demand for bond insurance remained strong during the first three quarters of 2024 as the amount of debt wrapped by bond insurance rose 26.8% year-over-year. Municipal bond insurers wrapped $28.921 billion in the first three quarters 2024, an increase from the $22.814 billion insured in the first three quarters of 2023, according to LSEG

Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors. Remembered for his positive and cheerful attitude and willingness to pitch in wherever needed, retired Bond Buyer reporter and municipal market fixture Harold “Chip” Walter George Barnett, Jr. died on Monday. He was 67. Barnett suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, “a disease related

Municipals were little changed Thursday as U.S. Treasuries were weaker out long and equities were off after a hotter-than-expected inflation report. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Thursday was at 61%, the three-year at 61%, the five-year at 62%, the 10-year at 67% and the 30-year at 84%, according to Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s 3 p.m. EST

The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund remains in “very good position” after Hurricane Milton, according to the head of Florida’s Division of Bond Finance. But, Ben Watkins on Thursday noted that only modeled losses are available for Hurricane Helene, which hit in late September, and no figures have been advanced for Milton yet. The CAT fund

The Equitable School Revolving Fund LLC., a first-of-its-kind loan pool for charter schools, will hit the market next week with $300 million of A-rated social bonds. The deal, set to price Wednesday, marks the sixth borrowing for the fund, said Equitable Facilities Fund CEO and founder Anand Kesavan. Its most recent deal came last November

Cook County, Illinois, officials released a $9.89 billion executive budget recommendation Thursday, after saying in a press briefing Wednesday that the nation’s second-most populous county will see no new taxes or layoffs. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said 56 open positions are being cut. The eliminated positions were ones the county anticipated filling with

Muni advocates are gearing up for a contentious tax fight next year, particularly if Kamala Harris should prevail in the presidential election, as Congressional Republicans are already digging in with a nationwide tour preemptively attacking the tax policies of the current Vice President. On Tuesday, Rep. Jason Smith R- Mo., Chairman of the House Ways

Third quarter trade count this year has remained steadily above the one million mark, a trend that the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board said could be a fundamental change in the market after a few less than consistent years. Trade counts increased 13% compared to the third quarter of 2023 and year-to-date average daily trade count

Chicago’s City Council deferred a vote on a $1.5 billion refunding bond measure. The deal, which includes a planned tender offer, drew opposition from some aldermen and Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza and triggered a credit recommendation from Municipal Market Analytics, which said on Tuesday that “this sale could be another signal that the city’s decade-long

Chattanooga, Tennessee, plans to price $80 million of bonds for a minor league baseball stadium that is pitched as the key to reviving a bedraggled part of the city. The Sports Authority of the County of Hamilton and City of Chattanooga, Tennessee will price $64.5 million in tax-exempt and $15.3 million in taxable bonds Oct.

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board and the bondholders opposed to the proposed plan of adjustment remain far apart, according to disclosures on the EMMA web site Tuesday night. U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain earlier this week extended the bankruptcy stay and set a Dec. 11 omnibus hearing to hear the opposing bond parties’

Municipals were slightly weaker Wednesday for the fourth consecutive session following more losses in U.S. Treasuries while equities made gains. Muni yields were cut up to three basis points, depending on the scale, while UST yields rose four to five basis points, pushing the two-year UST yield above 4% for the first time since late