Bonds

News of the $68 billion budget deficit projected for California in fiscal years 2022-23 and 2023-24 raised alarm bells. But several state budget watchers say longer-term trends are less worrying. Though S&P Global Ratings revised the state’s outlook to stable from positive Friday, the rating agency has said the state remains solidly in the double-A

Fitch Ratings has raised the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority’s bonds to investment grade, bumping the authority’s rating two notches to BBB from BB-plus, with a rating outlook of stable.  The ISFA issued bonds for Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Major League Baseball Chicago White Sox, and Soldier Field, home, at least for now, of

The New York City retirement systems increased their investments in climate solutions by 24.7% in fiscal 2023, according to city comptroller Brad Lander. The city’s retirement portfolio of climate investments stood at $10.5 billion as of June 30. “Preserving a livable planet and a thriving economy will require a collective global commitment both to the phase-out

The U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority said it may stop making payments to debt service funds soon. In a posting to the MSRB’s EMMA website, WAPA said it is running low on cash and may be forced to take this or other cash-conserving steps soon. “If liquidity strains persist, this could result in

Municipals were steady to slightly firmer in spots while Connecticut priced for institutions with yields lowered from Monday’s retail offering. U.S. Treasury yields fell and equities made more gains. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Tuesday was at 58%, the three-year at 58%, the five-year at 59%, the 10-year at 59% and the 30-year at 87%, according

If bondholders are not allowed a lien on Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority revenues, it could “threaten the continued viability of the primary revenue stream for vast swaths of municipal public works projects,” 14 attorneys general and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association said in friend of the court filings with the First Circuit

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board called Friday for dismissal of a Puerto Electric Power Authority bond party suit against Puerto Rico’s central government that had the backing of the PREPA Ad Hoc Group, a separate group of bond parties. GoldenTree Asset Management and bond insurer Syncora Guarantee filed the suit in U.S. District Court for

Municipals were little changed Monday as U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended up. Volume this week is relatively light with the new-issue calendar estimated at $1.6 billion. There are only two deals over $100 million. The Bond Buyer 30-day visible supply sits at $4.03 billion. In the primary market Monday, Jefferies held a one-day

Municipals closed out the week firmer, boosted by Fed policy decisions and yearend positioning ahead of a fading new-issue calendar, while U.S. Treasuries traded in a narrow range all session and equities ended mixed. Triple-A yields fell up to five basis points Friday while USTs were mixed. Munis still underperformed taxables on the week, but

S&P Global Ratings revised California’s rating outlook to stable from positive Friday, citing the state’s projected $68 billion multi-year deficit, revenue uncertainties and economic conditions. The state holds ratings of AA-minus from S&P, AA from Fitch Ratings and Aa2 from Moody’s Investors Service. The state also has a stable outlook from Fitch. Moody’s revised the

A tough year for Wall Street municipal underwriting firms culminated Thursday with Citigroup’s announcement it would exit the business, a stunning move that market participants warned would raise state and city financing costs and that Citi would come to regret as headwinds calm and business rebounds. “It’s a major disappointment,” said Matt Fabian, a partner

A proposed deal for a massive mixed-used arena project in Alexandria, Virginia, would be mostly financed through $1.05 billion in project revenue bonds issued by the newly named Virginia Stadium Authority. Details and hardening local opposition are emerging regarding the development of a 12-acre site in Potomac Yard, a former rail hub that straddles Arlington

Connecticut is set to price $840 million of general obligation bonds next week, the state’s last issuance of a year with landmark fiscal policy decisions. The state, which renewed fiscal responsibility measures, lowered income taxes and maintained strong economic metrics, kept its solid ratings from all four agencies for the upcoming deal.  “Management in Connecticut,

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said it’s too early for officials to begin thinking about cutting rates as soon as March as they consider whether policy is restrictive enough to get inflation back to 2%. “We aren’t really talking about rate cuts,” Williams said Friday in an interview on CNBC. He

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bond parties presented the court with written expert testimony supporting their claim the Oversight Board’s proposed plan of adjustment assumptions underestimate Puerto Rico’s economic future and overestimate PREPA’s future expenses. The testimony could impact U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain’s ruling on the plan, according to an attorney not

Citigroup will close its municipal division by the end of the first quarter of 2024, leaving behind a historic tenure in a market it once dominated in both underwriting and secondary market-making. The firm decided to “wind down our municipal underwriting and market-making activities” after a “broad-based review” of its muni business, according to a

Triple-A municipal bond yields fell a few basis points Wednesday following the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold rates and signal that only three rate cuts were likely in 2024, which sent U.S. Treasury yields plummeting down more than a quarter point on the short end while equities rallied and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed

Federal highway officials Wednesday defended the seemingly slow rollout of a high-profile federally funded program to create a national network of electric vehicle chargers. Ohio last week opened what is so far the nation’s first — and only — electric vehicle charging station funded through the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. New York is

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bond parties argued in appeals court briefs that their trust agreement clearly gives them a lien on incoming revenues and supports their claim for the $8.5 billion pre-bankruptcy principal rather than the $2.4 billion set by a lower court judge. The parties argued about the language needed to establish a

Municipals were mostly steady to a touch softer in secondary trading while newly upgraded gilt-edged Ohio upsized its general obligation refunding deal and repriced to lower yields. U.S. Treasuries improved on the day following cooler inflation data that many participants said would not move the needle on the Federal Reserve’s rates decision Wednesday. Triple-A yields