Bonds

On Jan. 1, New Jersey, New York and Maryland joined a handful of states with a minimum wage of at least $15 an hour. The increase to $15.13 an hour in New Jersey is expected to affect about 350,000 of the state’s 1.9 million hourly workers. Many non-hourly employees will also see an indirect benefit from the statewide
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Medford, Oregon-based hospital nonprofit Asante Health had its A-plus rating, with negative outlook, affirmed by Fitch Ratings at year-end as it works toward completion of a new building at its flagship hospital. Fitch said in a report Tuesday that it maintained the negative outlook, first assigned in January, because “Asante continues to record weakened operational
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Total 2023 municipal bond volume fell slightly from 2022 as market volatility, higher interest rates, pandemic aid and slower economic growth kept issuers on the sidelines. However, a robust fourth quarter buoyed issuance for the year, so volume only ticked down 2.8%, much better than previous quarters where issuance was down double digits. The year
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The muni industry is looking forward to key tax legislation moving forward while also eyeing the possible sunset of key provisions of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, though the number one priority of muni lobbyists remains the restoration of tax-exempt advance refunding. “We continue to work this issue tirelessly,” said Brett Bolton, VP, federal
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Hawaii Gov. Josh Green unveiled last week a proposed $19.2 billion supplemental budget and the results of an oversubscribed $750 million general obligation bond sale. In his proposed budget, Green shifted some capital improvement spending from the general fund to bond funding, pointing to ongoing costs from the Aug. 8 Maui wildfire. Revenue expectations also
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Municipals were steady to slightly firmer Wednesday as inflows returned to muni mutual funds. U.S. Treasury yields fell and equities ended up. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Wednesday was at 60%, the three-year at 60%, the five-year at 60%, the 10-year at 60% and the 30-year at 87%, according to Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s 3 p.m.
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Puerto Rico’s General Fund has collected $212 million more than was projected in Q1 2024, and $207 million higher than was collected in the same period last year, the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico said. Fiscal year 2024 began on July 1 and despite the positive results, which were driven mostly by
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The Riverside County Transportation Commission, California, won a Fitch Ratings upgrade for a $152.2 million Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act senior loan. Fitch lifted the rating on the TIFIA debt to BBB-plus from BBB-minus. The rating outlook is stable. The funding supports a managed lane project on Interstate 15 in a 15-mile stretch through
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The year 2024 is shaping up to be a landmark one for the Securities and Exchange Commission, not only through their own rigorous enforcement agenda but the regulator is in for continued industry backlash and a Supreme Court case that could test its enforcement powers and change how the SEC operates. Through its own enforcement
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BB: What is considered the intermediate duration? CH: In broad terms, five to seven years on average offers an attractive balance of risk and reward in our view. BB: What makes it attractive in the current market environment?  CH: We have seen the intermediate term bonds rise quite a lot recently. With the Bloomberg Muni
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