Category: Bonds

  • SEC warns advisors: play by the rules

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Municipal Securities director Dave Sanchez has a warning for advisors working on municipal market-adjacent deals like public-private partnerships or workforce housing: we’re watching you. Issuers, though not responsible for their municipal advisors, should be proactive in ensuring the firms are playing by the rules, said Sanchez, speaking Tuesday…

  • New-issues price into firmer market ahead of rates decision

    Municipals were steady to slightly firmer in spots with several large new-issues pricing in the primary as U.S. Treasury yields fell and equities were mixed as market participants await the FOMC rate decision Wednesday. “It’s all but a sure thing that the Fed will cut this week, but by how much is still up for…

  • Franklin County, Ohio, will refund Build America Bonds

    Franklin County, Ohio, will issue $138.2 million of lease revenue anticipation refunding bonds through the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority to refund or redeem outstanding Build America Bonds. The proceeds of the Series 2024 refunding bonds will also be used to consolidate the existing rental reserve and debt service reserve fund into a restructured rental…

  • Guam airport authority bringing $62M Baa2-rated deal

    The authority that runs Guam’s lone commercial airport is pricing a $62.4 million Baa2-rated deal that will fund a tender offer of some of its outstanding taxable bonds Tuesday. The Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport Authority is the issuer. Barclays is the underwriter and Montague DeRose and Associates is the municipal advisor. Guam’s airport…

  • FOMC preview: 25 bp cut now, but what’s next?

    With a 25-basis-point cut in the federal funds rate widely expected at the Federal Open Market Committee meeting Tuesday and Wednesday, economists are pondering what happens after that while they eagerly await the release of the Summary of Economic Projections. Although some have kept a chance of a larger cut in play. “Bond markets have…

  • Arizona town’s approval of bonds challenged in court

    A $70 million bond issue for a central Arizona town is the target of a lawsuit that claims the debt’s approval last month violated the state constitution.   Council members in Payson, a town of about 16,680 in Gila County, passed a resolution for the sale of the tax-exempt, fixed-rate “pledged revenue obligations” in a 6-1…

  • NAFOA changes leadership, plans push on bond bill

    The NAFOA, founded as the Native American Finance Officers Association, announced that Cory M. Blankenship will take over the helm as the organization pushes the Tribal Tax & Investment Reform Act, which would free up tribal bond issuance.   “NAFOA has been working with Congresswoman Gwen Moore D-Wisc. and Congressman David Schweikert’s R-Ariz. offices to help…

  • Market grows in Q2; ETF, SMA ownership increases

    The muni bond market grew in the second quarter as ownership by household and exchange-traded funds grew, while U.S. banks and insurers continued to reduce their holdings, the latest Federal Reserve data shows. The face amount of munis outstanding ticked up to $4.129 trillion, a 1.1% increase from the first quarter of this year and…

  • FHWA chief Shailen Bhatt steps down

    After just 20 months on the job, Federal Highway Administration head Shailen Bhatt has departed for the private sector. Bhatt announced Thursday that he’s taken a position at Montreal-based engineering services firm AtkinsRéalis. He joins as senior vice president and chief operating officer for the U.S., Latin America and Minerals & Metals. Current FHWA Deputy…

  • Munis hold their own amid supply influx, UST volatility

    Municipals were lightly traded and little changed Friday ahead of a much smaller calendar and the Federal Open Market Committee meeting during which the first rate cut in four years is expected. U.S. Treasuries and equities closed out a volatile week in the black. Triple-A muni yields barely budged across the yield curve while USTs…

  • Senators preview coming tax debate, SALT, housing, capital gains on table

    The Senate Finance Committee kicked off next year’s looming tax debate Thursday during a hearing that highlighted the Democrats’ priority of eliminating tax-avoidance strategies employed by high earners and the Republican pledge to extend tax breaks built into the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “In a matter of months, the Congress will begin a…

  • Inflows into muni mutual funds top $1B, marking 11th consecutive week

    Municipals were little changed outside of cuts on the one-year Thursday while inflows into municipal bond mutual funds topped $1 billion, clocking in at the second highest total this year. U.S. Treasuries were slightly weaker and equities ended up. Investors added $1.258 billion to funds — the second-largest inflow figure year-to-date after $1.413 billion for…

  • North Carolina LGC approves about $320 million in bonds

    North Carolina’s Local Government Commission approved about $320 million in bonds and $15 million of other financings, such as state revolving loans and installment purchases. The commission, headed by State Treasurer Dale Folwell, approved $73 million of limited obligation bonds for Rowan County to repair and replace school facilities in the Rowan-Salisbury school system and…

  • Watchdog probe says Atlanta Fed president created ‘appearance’ of impropriety

    Raphael Bostic, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.Bloomberg News Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic violated the central bank’s trading rules and policies in 2022, according to a government watchdog report. The Federal Reserve’s Office of the Inspector General, or OIG, released the findings from its review…

  • ESG proxy advisors taken to task in House hearing

    House Republicans are turning up the heat on their war against environmental, social and governance considerations in capital markets, this time going after proxy advisors who provide ESG-related services to investment officers. That was the subject of a House Financial Services Committee hearing Tuesday, which quickly descended into a partisan battle on whether investors need…

  • Huge primary day with $1B-plus deals from DC, Illinois; UST yields fall to lowest in a year

    Municipals were steady to slightly firmer in spots while the primary market took focus with at least 17 deals over the $100 million market hitting the screens led by billion-dollar-plus pricings from Washington, D.C., and Illinois. The New York City TFA priced $1.5 billion for retail investors and Chicago accelerated a pricing of water revenue…

  • Downgraded Texas pediatric hospital system sets $222M bond sale

    Texas Children’s Hospital, which was hit with rating downgrades this summer in the wake of operating losses, is moving ahead with an approximately $222 million revenue bond sale this week.  The tax-exempt, fixed-rate debt issued through the Harris County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corp. is scheduled to price Thursday. Proceeds are earmarked for capital projects…

  • Connecticut treasurer to speak at Muni Pride event in NYC

    Efforts by Muni Pride to align with other public finance affinity groups are reaping dividends for the group, which has grown to more than 100 individuals since its inception in 2019. The California-based national LGBTQ+ networking group will host its next event Oct. 1 in New York City. Connecticut State Treasurer Erick Russell will offer…

  • Piper Sandler public finance team adds Joe Kinder, Brent Blevins

    Piper Sandler has hired Joe Kinder and Brent Blevins as managing directors on its public finance team. Both will focus on Missouri school districts and governmental issuers and will co-head the Missouri public finance business for the investment bank. They both previously were managing directors at Stifel. “The K-12 sector is a meaningful part of…

  • Siebert expands taxable trading with Lori Ciraolo

    Siebert Williams Shank has brought on Lori Ciraolo to further strengthen its taxable fixed-income team. Ciraolo, who spent more than 17 years at Goldman Sachs, has been hired as a senior vice president in corporate and municipal short-term securities to help expand SWS’ taxable muni franchise through commercial paper trading. “It’s a hybrid role between…