Category: Bonds

  • Massachusetts’ $2.7B marks largest ‘social’ ESG muni deal yet

    Massachusetts plans to bring $2.7 billion of taxable business-tax backed special obligation revenue bonds with a social designation, marking the largest environmental, social and governance deal to date in the municipal market. The deal is also one of the larger taxable deals in 2022 in a year that has seen a significant drop in taxable…

  • Los Angeles airport received one of the largest grants in a federal outlay

    Los Angeles International Airport received a $50 million grant from the federal infrastructure bill for terminal road improvements, among the largest dispersed from the $1 billion allocated to 85 airports nationally. The grants are the first allotment in a five-year, $5 billion airport terminal grant program funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Transportation…

  • Bans on bond proceeds used for religious purposes may now be unconstitutional

    The Supreme Court decision in Carson v. Makin may render unconstitutional issuer statutes that prohibit the use of bond proceeds for religious purposes. The court ruled last month that if a state chooses to subsidize private education, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because of religious affiliation. The ruling could change the way some…

  • Supply surge led by blockbuster deals from New York, D.C.

    Municipals were mixed to close out a quiet summer Friday session ahead of a larger new-issue calendar that sees several billion-dollar deals. Triple-A benchmark yields once again largely ignored a selloff in U.S. Treasuries after a robust jobs report indicated the Federal Reserve will likely hike interest rates another 75 basis points at its next…

  • Reconciliation budget talks revive hopes for muni market agenda

    As Senate Democrats work to revive a reconciliation spending package, municipal bond lobbyists hope for a fresh opportunity to push through the federal muni agenda. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has reportedly been negotiating for weeks with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., about the terms of a spending package that would advance President Joe Biden’s agenda…

  • Munis stay in own lane; Denver airports, NY MTA price

    Municipals were steady to firmer in secondary trading Thursday as a large airport revenue bond offering from the City and County of Denver, Colorado, and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority’s MTA deal took the focus. Municipals continued to ignore the movements of U.S. Treasuries, which saw yields rise for the second day, while equities…

  • Planning for a rainy day: NYC unveils stormwater action plan

    Calling climate change New York City’s biggest environmental threat, Mayor Eric Adams released a plan Thursday that aims to help the Big Apple prepare for extreme rainfall in the future. “While we continue to invest in resiliency and infrastructure projects to protect us for generations to come, the Rainfall Ready NYC action plan will help every New…

  • Munis stronger, ignore UST selloff

    Municipals rallied Wednesday, ignoring a selloff in U.S. Treasuries, after the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes reiterated the Fed’s position it would raise rates 50 to 75 basis points at its July meeting to stave off inflation. Equities ended slightly up.. Municipals were in their own lane Wednesday and triple-A yields fell four to…

  • Oklahoma oil, gas tax revenue hits record high in FY 2022

    Revenue from Oklahoma’s oil and gas production taxes reached a record high in fiscal 2022, topping $1.5 billion, the state treasurer reported on Wednesday. As prices for the commodities spiked, the taxes generated $1.53 billion, up nearly 103% in the fiscal year that ended June 30 compared to fiscal 2021.  “Inflationary forces are a significant…

  • Muni yields fall further as recession fears grow

    Municipal yields fell for the third session in a row following the flight-to-safety bid in U.S. Treasuries as recession concerns continue to grow. Equities were mixed. Triple-A benchmark yields were bumped three to six basis points Tuesday with the strongest moves out long. Falling yields over the past two weeks have been “a welcome sigh…

  • Traders looking to get ahead of Fed again now foresee rate cuts

    Signs of a rapidly deteriorating U.S. economic outlook have spurred bond traders to pencil in a complete policy turnaround by the Federal Reserve in the coming year, with interest-rate cuts in the middle of 2023. Fed Chair Jerome Powell — who is widely expected to keep lifting the central bank’s benchmark rate for some time…

  • Reich moves from city of Dallas to DART

    Elizabeth Reich, who wrapped up her final day as Dallas chief financial officer on Thursday, will be joining Dallas Area Rapid Transit starting July 18. DART announced on Friday that Reich, as its new CFO, will be a key member of the executive team, reporting to President & CEO Nadine Lee and leading the agency’s…

  • Denver Airport sets $1.5 billion bond sale for capital plan

    Denver International Airport returns to the municipal market next week to complete financing for its current capital improvement plan, boosted by a rating upgrade as it continues to recover from passenger and revenue losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The $1.5 billion deal consists of $1.375 billion of senior lien bonds subject to the alternative…

  • Puerto Rico Oversight Board imposes FY23 budget

    The Puerto Rico Oversight Board again imposed the fiscal 2023 budget on the Puerto Rico’s central government. While the board had reached a consensus budget with the local legislature and Gov. Pedro Pierluisi in June 2021 for fiscal 2022, there was little cooperation with the board this year, said Board Member Antonio Medina. The Puerto…

  • Munis, USTs strengthen to start the second half of 2022

    Municipals were stronger following along with, but underperforming U.S. Treasuries, which extended their rally and saw yields fall even further to start the second half of the year on continued recessionary fears. Equities ended in the black. Triple-A yields fell by four to seven basis points while USTs saw yields fall by up to 16…

  • New York cannabis investment fund focuses on equity

    A new fund dedicated to advancing social equity and led by an NBA veteran and a leading municipal firm is moving into New York State’s growing cannabis industry. Social Equity Impact Ventures, LLC, a premier minority-led investment team, will sponsor and manage the New York Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund. This first-of-its-kind $200 million fund will be…

  • Climate change, hurricanes, and their toll on municipal credit

    Analysts expect climate change, combined with the political realities of either addressing the effects of it or not, will have increasing impacts on municipal credit in the coming years. Droughts, fires, flooding, changed temperature patterns, reduced snow cover, and higher sea levels may all come from climate change and all have the potential to impact…

  • Susan Collins takes office as Boston Fed chief, making history

    Susan Collins officially took office Friday as the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, making history in becoming the first Black woman to lead a regional Fed bank.  Collins comes from the University of Michigan, where she worked for 15 years, serving most recently as provost and previously as dean of the Gerald…

  • WAPA approves budget it says stops cash loss

    The U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority board approved an electric system budget Thursday it said will stop its loss of cash. WAPA Chief Financial Officer Jacob Lewis said the budget would stop the authority from “bleeding cash” by projecting a positive or zero free cash flow. The U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power…

  • New Jersey’s fiscal year 2023 budget will be its largest ever

    Gov. Phil Murphy signed New Jersey’s largest budget into law Thursday. As the nation faces an economic slowdown, Murphy addressed a joint session of New Jersey legislators and told them that the record $50.6 billion spending package, which follows strong consecutive tax seasons and includes a $7.8 billion surplus, avoided using “temporary windfalls for long-term…