Bonds

Illinois spread penalties narrowed this month to levels in line with its ratings for the first time in years as the state reaps the benefits of swelling tax revenues, federal cash and a market looking for scarce yield. The state’s 10-year spread currently stands at 63 basis points higher than Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s AAA

Municipal bond yields rose on the short end Friday as munis again played catch up to the moves in short U.S. Treasuries and investors became more aggressive in bid lists for high-grade paper. The UST note, 0.785% on Tuesday, touched 0.96% in the afternoon and was at 0.89% near the close Friday, leading to the

A new opinion issued by the Justice Department says Puerto Rico’s admission as a state could legally include a transition period to temporarily continue the special bankruptcy provisions under PROMESA. That’s good news for the ongoing restructuring of the territory’s debt because it provides an assurance that statehood would not necessarily involve an abrupt dissolution

Inflation risks may warrant the Federal Reserve beginning raising interest rates next year, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said, backing an even-earlier liftoff than penciled in by many of his colleagues. “I put us starting in late 2022,” Bullard said Friday during a TV interview on CNBC, referring to interest-rate projections published Wednesday by

Parties have filed nearly 30 objections to the Puerto Rico Oversight Board’s proposed Disclosure Statement for its central government debt Plan of Adjustment, with a key complaint coming from the Puerto Rico government, which said it will not authorize new bonds if pensions are cut. The parties had until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to file

The accelerated return of passenger demand combined with federal aid earned the Port of Seattle an outlook boost from Fitch Ratings ahead of plans to price $810 million of revenue bonds next week. The agency oversees the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and is a 50% owner of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, a marine cargo operating partnership

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved 38-26 a $547 billion surface transportation bill early Thursday with the support of only two Republicans. The five-year Highway Trust Fund reauthorization still requires action by the House Ways and Means Committee to approve revenue measures for financing the bill. Ways and Means also has jurisdiction over tax

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi signed a bill Wednesday rejecting any pension cuts and undoing pension reforms enacted in 2017, despite these cuts and adjustments being part of the proposed plan of adjustment and approved fiscal plan. “The public pensioners dedicated years of their lives to the service of our people and were the engine

Municipal bonds rallied Wednesday as triple-A benchmark yields fell as much as five basis points out long but bumps were seen across the curve, moving levels on high-grades below 1% on bonds maturing inside 14 years, while another round of billion-plus inflows were reported. The Investment Company Institute reported $1.089 billion of inflows into municipal

University of Chicago Chief Financial Officer Ivan Samstein is moving over to the hospital system to take the top fiscal post there at the end of the month. The appointment of Samstein, who left his position as Cook County’s CFO to take the top fiscal role at the university in 2017, will carry the title

As the fallout from UBS Puerto Rico closed-end fund losses soared past $100 million in arbitration settlements last month, a central figure in a drama still unwinding years later warns that something just like it could happen again. Jose G. Ramirez Arone, Jr. seems far removed from the man who was once one of UBS’

Municipal bonds were mostly steady Thursday after a report showing an unexpectedly high increase in consumer prices pushed U.S. Treasuries and stocks higher. Yields on 10- and 30-year munis were firm on the AAA scales while the 10-year benchmark Treasury yield fell to 1.46%, its lowest level since March 4. For the 14th week in

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of basic functional infrastructure, budget management and affordable housing to the vitality of cities. That’s the takeaway from the 2021 State of the Cities report released Thursday by the National League of Cities. Nearly 600 cities, towns and villages were surveyed along with 57 mayoral speeches that provided additional

Puerto Rico General Fund net revenues through March were 19% above Oversight Board projections for the first nine months of the fiscal year. The Puerto Rico Treasury Department reported the results Thursday. Net revenues for March came in 6.1% above the board’s original projection. The available data for fiscal 2021 so far — covering July

Correction The job title of Alexander Vaisman and the number of members in California Muni Pride were incorrect in the original version of the story. June 10, 2021 2:48 PM EDT Correction The job title of Alexander Vaisman and the number of members in California Muni Pride were incorrect in the original version of the

California voters rejected a school bond measure for the first time in 30 years in March 2020 and state Sen. Steven Glazer, D-Orinda, wants a do-over. His Senate Bill 22, the Public Preschool, K-12 and College Health and Safety Bond Act, passed the Senate Thursday on a 31-5 vote. If the State Assembly approves it,

Subway safety in New York took on a new meaning when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority acknowledged a cyber intrusion, which set off loud alarm bells about the rising threat of system hacks. The MTA is one of the largest municipal issuers and reports linked China’s government to the episode. Despite MTA officials’ assurances of quick

Municipal bonds strengthened on the long end Friday after the latest employment report showed continued job growth and buoyed equities and Treasuries. The Labor Department said nonfarm payrolls rose 559,000 in May as the jobless rate fell to 5.8% from 6.1%. The numbers showed slow but steady strength in the labor market, but came in

A Puerto Rico court rejected a motion from several bond underwriters to dismiss a bond insurer suit against them for misrepresentations in their Official Statements. Senior Judge Ladi Buono de Jesús issued the decision Wednesday from her position in the Court of First Instance in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Bond insurers National Public Finance Guarantee

A $5.3 billion transportation bill awaiting Colorado Gov. Jared Polis’s signature will not require voter approval after Republican demands for a referendum were thwarted. Senate Bill 21-260, which won final passage in the state House of Representatives last month, provides $5.3 billion over a decade for highways, bridges and infrastructure for future electric vehicles. The