Category: Bonds
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Texas clears Wells Fargo after bank quits Net-Zero alliance
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference in February. The Republican on Friday lauded Wells Fargo’s move to leave the Net-Zero Banking Alliance, ending a review by his office that could have led to the bank being banned from underwriting state and local government bonds.Bloomberg News Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton…
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Munis sell off as macroeconomic, policy volatility weigh heavily over markets
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20879380/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals sold off Thursday, playing catch up to the U.S. Treasury’s extended rout across most of the curve. Equities ended mixed as all markets further digested macroeconomic uncertainty and volatile policy swings coming out of Washington. Muni yields rose 12 to 19 basis points, depending on the scale, while…
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Kentucky’s Bellarmine University downgraded to B1 by Moody’s
Bellarmine University had very weak debt service coverage levels in the last three fiscal years, Moody’s Ratings said.AdobeStock Bellarmine University was downgraded to B1 from Ba3 by Moody’s Ratings, affecting about $60 million of outstanding debt. The outlook is negative. The downgrade on the Kentucky-based school stemmed from declining enrollment, persistent use of reserves, and…
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Muni yields rise but outperform UST selloff after FOMC rate cut
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20863349/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals lost more ground Wednesday, but outperformed a selloff in the U.S. Treasury market, after the Federal Open Market Committee signaled fewer rate cuts on the horizon, with a likely pause in January. Equities also sold off, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average hitting a 10-day losing streak, the…
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PFM adds former Philadelphia budget director
Robert McDermott, the former Philadelphia budget director, has joined PFM as a director for its workforce consulting team. PFM Robert McDermott, the former Philadelphia budget director, has joined PFM as a director for its workforce consulting team. McDermott is the latest veteran of Philadelphia’s finance department to join PFM, part of the firm’s ongoing strategy to…
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Selling pressure weighs, pushing muni yields higher ahead of FOMC rates decision
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20844932/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals were weaker Tuesday as the New York City Transitional Finance Agency, the last sizable new-issue of 2024, priced for institutions, while U.S. Treasuries were mixed and equities saw large losses ahead of the expected FOMC rate decision Wednesday. That weakness that began last week continued through Tuesday, as…
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New York MTA plans its borrowing for the new year
The interior of a new New York City Subway car in 2023. This week the MTA board approved buying 435 new cars.Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority had a turbulent 2024. Now, although some uncertainties about its funding remain, the agency is readying its finances for 2025. The state agency that…
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Choppy market sessions may be ahead
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20820063/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals were steady but with a slightly weaker tone Monday as U.S. Treasuries and equities closed the session mixed. Triple-A yields were cut up to two basis points, depending on the scale, while USTs were weaker on the short end and slightly better out long. The two-year municipal to…
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California tax and bond measures achieved record approval rates
Mark Baldassare, survey director at the Public Policy Institute of California.PPIC California’s certified election results show the state logged a record election in terms of the number of local measures and amounts approved, according to a report . Voters approved 205 school bond measures, authorizing $45 billion of funding for elementary, high school and community…
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Border states weigh risks from Trump’s threatened tariffs
Trucks arriving from Mexico wait for inspection at the Otay Mesa point of entry in San Diego.Bloomberg News New tariff threats by President-elect Donald Trump would likely impact state and local government finance, economists and analysts say, though exactly how remains unknown. In campaign statements, and a post-election social media post, Trump said he would…
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Retail, foreign muni ownership grows while banks, broker-dealers hold even less
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20781708/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> The municipal market grew in the third quarter of 2024 amid the surge in supply while mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and foreign buyers increased their ownership of the asset class in the third quarter, Fed data shows. However, “muni holdings of all institutional investors, lead by banks, is still…
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Congressional leadership changes foretell policy shifts
“The Committee will hit the ground running in 2025,” said current and future Chairman Sam Graves, R- Mo. ”Our work will include working with President Trump to advance his infrastructure priorities, developing the next long-term surface transportation reauthorization, and reprioritizing policies that are consistent with the core purpose of infrastructure .U.S. House of Representatives The future of…
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Selling pressure wipes out December gains
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20783578/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals faced more selling pressure Friday but outperformed U.S. Treasuries ahead of a much lighter supply picture, which should buoy the asset class in the final weeks of the year. This week’s accumulated losses have pushed returns into the red for the month, but municipals are still faring better…
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Los Angeles warned of widening budget deficit
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has spent the past two weeks speaking about her administration’s achievements in her two years in office.Bloomberg News Los Angeles city leaders have some work ahead to close a $296.14 million deficit, according to a report City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo delivered to the City Council’s Budget, Finance and Innovation…
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Oklahoma Turnpike hikes tolls ahead of $1 billion bond sale
With costs escalating for a 15-year expansion program, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority board approved a toll hike ahead of a $1 billion bond sale slated for early 2025. Oklahoma Turnpike Authority Ahead of a $1 billion bond sale early next year for an expansion program with rising costs, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority hiked toll rates…
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Florida healthcare group to sell $1.4 billion in bonds
Orlando Health senior vice president of finance John Miller said offering the bonds in one state rather than two states will save his company bond counsel and other fees. The Orange County, Florida, Health Facilities Authority will offer $1.4 billion of hospital revenue bonds for Orlando Health the week of January 13. OCHFA will sell…
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MSRB opens public comments for rule change concepts
Michael Decker, senior vice president of federal policy and research at the Bond Dealers of America. The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board is considering rule changes modernizing disclosure duties for brokers, electronic delivery methods and disclosure timing to boost transparency and standardize practices for municipal fund securities. “We welcome the MSRB’s concept release on municipal fund…
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Muni investors mostly ignore weaker USTs post-inflation report
<img src=”https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20748106/thumbnail” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> Municipals were a touch weaker in spots Wednesday, as U.S. Treasury yields rose and equities ended mixed after an inflation print aligned with expectations. A consumer price index that pretty much met expectations, but showed inflation remains sticky, should not deter the Federal Open Market Committee by cutting 25…
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D.C. presses feds for budget bump
“The district’s fiscal year 2025 budget request to Congress proposes $932 million for the District of Columbia, which is $142 million above the enacted level,” said Rep. Dave Joyce R- Ohio. ”Notably, $47 million of this increase is due to a need for more emergency preparedness funding for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration. As a member…
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Suffolk County nabs Moody’s upgrade
Lighthouse at Montauk Point. Long Island. NewYorkMishella/Getty Images/iStockphoto Moody’s Ratings upgraded Suffolk County, New York, two notches citing the county’s improved fiscal position, sales tax growth and operational oversight. Moody’s is the third rating agency to upgrade Suffolk this year, after Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings upgraded the Long Island county. The county plans…