Bonds

“Tax exempt municipal bonds are a critical financing tool for county governments, allowing investment in large-scale infrastructure projects at a lower cost to taxpayers,” said Mark Ritacco, chief government affairs officer for the National Association of Counties. ”Counties are urging Congress to preserve the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds to avoid significantly shifting infrastructure costs onto

U.S. Securities Exchange Commission staff have been told to seek permission from leadership before formally starting probes, Reuters reported, citing people briefed on the matter who weren’t identified. The change, which marked a move away from recent norms, was made since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20, the people told Reuters. The news

Emergency crews work near the site of the crash of an American Airlines plane and Army helicopter on the Potomac River.Bloomberg News Two Moody’s Ratings analysts were on the American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter Wednesday night in Washington, D.C., killing all aboard. Analysts Chris Collins and Melissa Nicandri were among the

<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21410664/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals were mixed, while U.S. Treasury yields rose and equity prices fell Friday after the White House announced tariffs against Mexico, Canada, and China will take effect Saturday. For the week, municipals “not only moved in sync (with Treasuries) they actually outperformed, especially in the belly of the curve,

California Treasurer Fiona Ma announced that a conduit issuer she chairs has established a $2 million zero-interest loan program to aid health facilities affected by fires in three southern California counties.California treasurer’s office The California state treasurer has launched a loan fund to aid health facilities affected by the Los Angeles-area wildfires. The $2 million

&amp;lt;img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21408585/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /&amp;gt; Issuance rose in January on a year-over-year basis, as issuers came to market amid policy uncertainty and possible tax changes. January’s volume was at $35.243 billion in 486 issues, up 10.8% from $31.817 billion in 554 issues in 2024, according to LSEG data. January’s total also surpasses the 10-year

Michigan’s White Lake Township, after a 2024 bond pricing was halted by a hack, is returning to the market to sell the debt.White Lake Township White Lake Township, Michigan, plans to bounce back from the hack that forced it to cancel a bond sale with new bond plans to finance construction of a civic center.

MSRB CEO Mark Kim The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s quarterly board meeting included discussion regarding the launch of a “holistic review” of MSRB’s municipal advisor rules, MSRB CEO Mark Kim confirmed.  The meeting, which was held on Wednesday and Thursday, was the board of directors’ second quarterly meeting of MSRB’s 2025 fiscal year. It’s been

An insurance company employee on Jan. 23 surveys a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.Bloomberg News This month’s devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires have created urgency around a bill that would allow the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank to issue bonds to support the state’s property insurer of last resort. California’s FAIR

The University of Tennessee wants to be given the right to sell a wider variety of bond types. AdobeStock The University of Tennessee wants the Tennessee State School Bond Authority to grant it the right to offer bonds supported by its general operating budget rather than revenue streams. Residence halls and parking lots are the

Michael Decker, senior vice president of federal policy and research at the Bond Dealers of America. Dealer groups responding to a request for information regarding the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s rate card process told the MSRB it should ease dealers’ “unfair” fee burden by levying activity-based fees on municipal advisors, while MAs view that idea

“We know they will come back at this again and again and again,” said New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of the Trump administration’s efforts to freeze federal funds that conflict with the administration’s priorities. Al Drago/Bloomberg The White House Wednesday rescinded a controversial federal funding freeze directive that triggered widespread confusion although the legal

&amp;lt;img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21394989/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /&amp;gt; Municipals were firmer Thursday as inflows into muni mutual funds continued. U.S. Treasury yields were little changed and equities ended mixed. The two-year municipal to UST ratio Thursday was at 64%, the five-year at 64%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 83%, according to Municipal Market Data’s

A bill filed by an Oklahoma Republican lawmaker would change which state official enforces 2022’s Energy Discrimination Elimination Act and remove bond and note sales from a contract ban.Bloomberg News The sale of bonds or notes by Oklahoma governments would be exempted from a contract provision in a 2022 state law that has led to

“From what I hear, there was absolute panic,” said Marty Margolis, founder of the Public Funds Investment Institute, “and it was cross-partisan lines, panic. A new administration always makes changes. Were they going to be this drastic? Nobody ever expected that.” PFII Despite current uncertainty driven by a series of executive orders in the opening days

The University of Chicago’s Center for Municipal Finance is publishing first-of-its-kind data that showcases bond investments by Congressional district, said Justin Marlowe, a research professor at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. As warning signs flash over the fate of the municipal bond tax exemption, the University of Chicago’s Center for Municipal

“As issuers see our name out there, that we’re willing to put our capital commitment in play, they’re going to give us opportunities to be an underwriter more and more,” Noe Hinojosa, president of Estrada Hinojosa, said. Estrada Hinojosa Estrada Hinojosa & Co., which was acquired by Texas Regional Bank in August, is expanding its

A restaurant damaged by Hurricane Milton in St. Pete Beach, Florida, in October.Bloomberg News The recovery of Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee local governments and utilities from hurricanes Helene and Milton continues but the outlook for next season and beyond is troubling. Many localities and public utilities are emerging from the storms’ aftermaths financially hit

&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/21374434/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Municipals were steady to slightly weaker in spots, while U.S. Treasury yields rose a little and equities ended down after the Federal Open Market Committee, as expected, held rates steady. “Both the FOMC’s December Summary of Economic Projections and current rate futures suggest 50 basis points of additional cuts

PREPA’s Costa Sur power plant. After many months of pessimism, the PREPA mediation team expressed a glimmer of optimism Tuesday. Mediators in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy said they were “hopeful” for “progress” in negotiating a deal, they said Tuesday in in a filing to U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain. Despite