Bonds

Municipals were weaker Thursday as outflows from muni mutual funds continued. U.S. Treasury yields rose, with all maturities now yielding above 4%, and equities ended mixed. Treasury yields rose as initial jobless claims came in below 200,000 for the seventh straight week and unit labor costs for the fourth quarter were revised up to 3.2%

Idaho and Wyoming have joined other red states by introducing legislation to ban banks that “boycott” gun manufacturers or energy-related companies. Idaho House bills 189 and 190 introduced by Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls, left committees with do-pass recommendations and are headed for third readings on the House floor. Ehardt could not be reached for

Municipals were little changed to kick off the month, while U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended mixed. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 60%, the five-year at 62%, the 10-year at 65% and the 30-year at 90%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the three at 64%, the

Chicago voters will choose between Paul Vallas, a former city budget director and Chicago Public Schools chief, and Cook County Board Commissioner Brandon Johnson to replace Mayor Lori Lightfoot who lost her bid for a second term as the city’s upward fiscal momentum took a backseat to worries over crime. Vallas won 33.9% of the

Municipals were steady to end a month that saw anemic supply and muni yields selling off. U.S. Treasuries were firmer out long, and equities ended down. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 62%, the five-year at 63%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 91%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE

Central bankers must augment what they learn from incoming data with clues gleaned from the real economy and avoid putting too much weight on financial markets, said Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee. In his first public speech since taking office last month, Goolsbee acknowledged it was tempting to lean on the instant

MassachusettsGov. Maura Healey unveileda tax relief proposal Monday, a key feature of her administration’s fiscal year 2024 budget due to be presented to lawmakers on Wednesday. “This proposal centers affordability, competitiveness, and equity each step of the way, delivering relief to those who need it most and making reforms that will attract and retain more

The University of Minnesota plans to ask the state for $950 million to acquire and operate its flagship academic health care facilities now operated under an affiliation agreement with Fairview Health Services. Fairview plans to merge with South Dakota-based Sanford Health.  The university, which previously said it intended to seek state help but had not

Municipals were mixed to end the week as U.S. Treasury yields rose double-digits five years and in and equities ended down. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 61%, the five-year at 62%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 91%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the three

Flanked by officials from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Thursday hosted a groundbreaking for a terminal project she said will cap John F. Kennedy International Airport’s $18 billion redevelopment. “The groundbreaking offers a complete vision for the modernized global gateway,” Hochul said at a ceremony held

The U.S. Treasury resumed operations of its Office of Recovery Programs Contact Center on Feb. 21, providing local governments with an important link to the federal agency as they seek to complY with the conditions governing the federal money. The help desk fielded about 300 calls and about 2,000 emails a week before shuttering last October

The U.S. would get a national infrastructure bank that would partner with states and local governments to attract private equity and pension funds under a bipartisan bill unveiled this month. It’s the latest legislation to pursue the idea, which lawmakers have floated repeatedly over the years as a way to spur private investment into the

Greenberg Traurig gained five public finance lawyers who joined the law firm’s Houston office this month from Orrick.  Adrian Patterson, who served as Houston office leader at Orrick, joined Greenberg as a shareholder, along with Robert Collie and James Hernandez as of counsels, and Noe Hinojosa III and Donna McIntosh as associates, the law firm

Oregon’s revenues continued to beat expectations, with the state’s economists forecasting lawmakers will have nearly $696 million more to spend than anticipated, and about $3.9 billion going back to taxpayers through the kicker rebate. The state has a trigger mechanism that returns money to taxpayers every two years through a so-called kicker rebate if personal

S&P Global Ratings upgraded Illinois by one notch Thursday for ongoing progress in chipping away at its debts and rebuilding its rainy day fund. The action — lifting $26.5 billion of general obligation bonds to A-minus from BBB-plus — puts the state back into the single-A category for the first time in seven years and

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ sweeping K-12 education plan passed the Senate Thursday as it continued on a fast trajectory through the legislature despite bipartisan calls to slow down the measure, which includes a phased-in, universal school voucher program. The Republican governor’s Arkansas LEARNS plan received its first public airing on Wednesday before the Senate

Rejecting nearly all of the challenges to its disclosure statement and plan of adjustment in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy, the Puerto Rico Oversight Board attempted to explain why National Public Finance Guarantee could get preferential treatment. National’s treatment is permissible since it is supported by a “legitimate basis,” the board said, citing

Municipals were weaker in spots in secondary trading Wednesday as $688 million of New York City general obligation bonds priced in the primary, while U.S. Treasuries were firmer and equities ended mixed. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 62%, the five-year at 62%, the 10-year at 65% and the 30-year at 91%, according to Refinitiv

Munis were weaker to kick off a holiday-shortened week as the front end and belly of the curve continue to feel pressure. Triple-A benchmarks outperformed a U.S. Treasury sell-off, and equities ended down. Markets continue to react to tight labor markets and still-high inflation that will likely lead to Federal Reserve rate hikes continuing into

A bill introduced in California’s legislature would prohibit banks or lenders with business customers that manufacture firearms from working on the state’s public finances. Senate Bill 637, introduced Thursday by California Sen. Dave Min, D-Costa Mesa, applies to every aspect of the state’s public finances including municipal bonds, capital projects and the state’s debt portfolio,