Bonds

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has fined RBC Capital Markets $15,000 for violating Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board Rules G-15 on confirmation, G-8 on books and records and G-27 on supervision for their role in sending incorrect confirmations on municipal securities transactions. Municipal securities violations represent only a portion of the transactions FINRA highlighted in its

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of expansive tax cut legislation barely fended off an override, which fell short by one vote in the Senate after easily passing the House.  House Bill 2036, which cleared the Republican-controlled legislature in April with hefty majority votes, included changes to income, sales, and property taxes that would result in

The new bipartisan bill that would provide the Federal Aviation Administration with reauthorization and $105 billion in appropriations through 2028 would also provide $19.35 billion in airport infrastructure improvement grants to fund the nation’s 3,300 airports. The 1,069 page bill is the culmination of eight hearings over the last year or more and also authorizes

Lance Tyson has joined Greenberg Traurig, LLP’s Chicago public finance and infrastructure practice as counsel, bringing a broad range of experience representing and working for local governments. Having worked as chief of staff to the Cook County Board president and legislative counsel to then-Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, run for office as the Democratic Party’s

In the next several months, state and local governments, along with other tax-exempt organizations, are going to start to receive payments from the Federal government to help offset the cost of investments they have made electric vehicles or solar panels or charging stations. When they do, it will mark not just a milestone in the

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Enjoy complimentary access to top ideas and insights — selected by our editors. Bond counsel in the first quarter of 2024 handled a combined $98.894 billion across 1,580 bond issues, up from $74.397 billion in 1,387 transactions this time last year.  The top 10 bond counsel saw some shuffling and welcomed two new entrants. The

Texas voters will decide Saturday on 270 bond propositions totaling $17.4 billion, which marks a drop in debt requests compared to the last two years.  The proposed debt authorizations sought by schools, cities, and other issuers are down from the state’s biannual bond elections since November 2022 that all topped $20 billion, according to Texas

Shreveport, Louisiana, voters approved $256 million of general obligation bonds Saturday. The voters approved $125 million for a streets and drainage bond, $82 million for a water and sewer bond, and $49 million for a police and fire infrastructure bond. The first two bonds passed with 80% in favor and 20% against. The last passed

New findings show the increasing frequency and severity of climate hazards pose growing financial risks for local government issuers in the U.S. municipal bond market, according to a report from S&P Global Sustainable1. In 2023, the hottest year on record globally, the U.S. faced 28, billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, that caused a record $92

Municipals were little changed Monday ahead of several large deals and the final session of April, which is poised to close out with another month of negative returns for the asset class. U.S. Treasuries were firmer, and equities were in the black. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Monday was at 65%, the three-year at 63%, the

Upcoming highly-rated offerings from two Virginia agencies and the state of Delaware should provide some direction for yield curves as the market digests larger supply. Delaware is putting $367 million of general obligation bonds out for competitive bid on Tuesday.   The Virginia Resources Authority is set to price Tuesday $135.73 million of Virginia Pooled Financing Program infrastructure

Ahead of an expected push to broaden tax-exempt financing authority for tribal governments next year, a pair of Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis economists are recommending the tax code be reformed to allow tribes greater access to the financing tool. An April 25 paper titled “Tax code constraints limit tribal tax-exempt bonding” notes the relatively

For those of a certain age, a tune sung by The Happenings — See You in September — might resonate with regard to the Federal Reserve. Most analysts now expect the Fed to hold rates in a range between 5.25% and 5.50% until September, with some concern there will be no rate cuts this year.

Palm Beach County, Florida, has become the world’s largest investor in Israel bonds, with its investments now totaling more than $700 million. In the six months since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks, global sales of Israel bonds have surpassed $3 billion. This includes the $1.7 billion that more than 35 U.S. states and municipal

New York City Mayor Eric Adams described this year’s budget process as a “herculean task.” Adams Wednesday presented a $111 billion executive budget for fiscal 2025 that he said is balanced with minor cuts and higher-than-expected revenue, avoiding tax hikes or layoffs. The mayor stressed at a press conference that his office prepared early to

Municipals held steady Friday ahead of a sizable $7 billion, new-issue slate with a mix of credits across the spectrum, from healthcare to housing to toll roads and bellwether general obligation issuers. U.S. Treasuries improved across the curve while equities rebounded after another volatile week across markets. “Bond market investors are all wishing that April was behind us as they

The California Treasurer’s office will relaunch its DebtWatch website on May 1, offering a more user-friendly format with vastly more data than the original 2015 version. The website’s software will allow investors, issuers and taxpayers to access all the data the California Debt and Investment Advisory Commission gathers on bond issuance to allow them to

On Thursday the Governmental Accounting Standards Board requested feedback via a survey designed to aid the board’s tinkering with standards and disclosures regarding infrastructure and capital assets.   “We would like feedback from users of governmental financial statements on what information would have a meaningful effect (more than ‘nice to know’) on their analyses for decision making or assessment

Investors should be aware of risks that Build America Bonds pose if called under an extraordinary redemption provision, as many of these could result in losses, especially if the bonds were purchased at a premium,the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board warned Friday. That comes amid expectations that issuers will redeem $20 to $30 billion in BABs

With about 94% of the $55 billion of federal funding from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the country’s water and wastewater needs yet to be disbursed, issuers may not need much in the way of municipal bonds for water infrastructure, analysts said. Bond issuance for water and sewer purposes declined 6.7% to