Bonds

Despite several years of efforts, Hawaii’s funded pension ratio hovers around 50%, the same level as Illinois and New Jersey, the states with the lowest bond ratings, and yet the state retains its double-A-level ratings. S&P Global Ratings upgraded the state a notch to AA-plus from AA in 2016 with analysts partly citing a plan

Cook County, Illinois, heads into the market this week with two deals totaling nearly $500 million that will benefit from an outlook from boost from Moody’s Investors Service over its healthy fund balances. The $215 million sales tax transaction pricing Tuesday offers two tranches to refund outstanding debt and take out a credit line that

U.S. Virgin Islands voters mainly supported incumbents in Saturday’s primary election. Those who went to the polls voted in the Democratic primary for governor, legislature, and a host of less prominent positions. The Republican party has no significant presence in the islands. The winners will face independent candidates in the Nov. 8 general election. Five

A surge in the use of alternative trading systems in the municipal bond market through the first half of 2022 punctuated the growing prevalence of such platforms among dealers and other market participants in recent years, according to data published in a recent MSRB report. The number of customer transactions completed through ATSs jumped from

Consumer expectations for U.S. inflation over the coming years declined sharply in the latest survey by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a finding that may ease the Fed’s concern about ever-rising prices getting baked-in to household behavior. Expectations for U.S. inflation three years ahead fell to 3.2% in July, from 3.6% the previous

The looming end of a lucrative economic incentive program in Texas has led to a stampede by companies seeking to lock in billions of dollars in local tax breaks that, in the case of semiconductor manufacturers, may be needed to snare new federal funding. So far this year, more than 400 applications from energy and

The Senate Sunday passed the $740 billion Inflation Reduction Act, which provides billions in climate and energy funding for states and local governments. The House plans to return Friday to vote on the legislation. The long-negotiated bill features $430 billion in spending and $740 billion in revenue generated largely by corporate taxes. Roughly $300 billion

Retired Wisconsin Capital Finance Director Frank Hoadley — who left an influential mark on the public finance industry as a champion of issuer advocacy and best marketplace practices — died unexpectedly this week. He was 77. Hoadley was traveling with his wife, Elizabeth, in Scotland when he died. “Frank Hoadley was a giant among the

Municipals sold off Friday with the front end of the curve being hit the hardest, though damage was felt across the curve. Triple-A benchmarks outperformed a U.S. Treasury rout where yields rose double-digits, and equities were down near the close. Nearly all triple-A benchmark yields were cut six to 10 basis points and UST yields

A budget impasse that’s left Trenton, New Jersey, without an approved budget well into the new fiscal year continues, despite a recent brush with default. Beset by political rivalries, the state capital’s seven-member City Council, which must approve annual spending according to local law, has as of yet failed to produce the majority vote necessary

The Ontario City Council approved a sales tax measure Tuesday for the November 8 ballot to fund $1.2 billion of infrastructure projects, and other local governments in California are expected to take similar steps. The November midterms are expected to be particularly popular this year for tax and bond measures among cities, counties and school

The indictment of former Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez on bribery charges damages the reputation of her political party, according to some analysts, but since her party is the only one advocating statehood for the island, the pain may be limited. Still, the arrest should have no impact on how long the Puerto Rico Oversight

The Senate is set to take action Saturday on a newly inked budget reconciliation bill that continues to lack municipal market priorities but includes climate and energy provisions that issuers support. Under a deal struck to gain the vote of Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., the bill now features a slightly revised 15% corporate minimum tax

The Federal Reserve is committed to cooling inflation and needs to raise interest rates to a little above 4% to ease demand, Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank President Loretta Mester said. “We’re committed to getting inflation down” to the 2% target, which will require more rate increases, Mester said during an event hosted by the Economic

An Oklahoma regulatory official, who has raised concerns about the impact of the state’s first utility securitization bond sale on ratepayers, on Thursday called for an independent assessment of the pricing as three other deals are pending. Bob Anthony, one of three commissioners at the Oklahoma Corporation Commission (OCC), continued to question the July 8

Harvey, Illinois,officials are working to overcome remaining hurdles to conduct a bond exchange offer that would remove its general obligation debt from default status and honor a legal consent agreement with a group of bondholders. The Chicago suburb’s City Council recently passed an ordinance authorizing up to $36.5 million of borrowing that paves the way

Municipals were mostly steady as mutual fund inflows topped $1 billion, while U.S. Treasuries were firmer in most spots and equities were mixed near the close. Investors poured $1.094 billion into municipal bond mutual funds in the latest week, versus the $236.491 million of inflows the week prior, per Refinitiv Lipper data reported Thursday. It

The sudden passing of Indiana Congresswoman Jackie Walorski and two of her staffers in a car accident Wednesday has caused an outpouring of grief among muni market advocates and representatives across the political aisle. A South Bend, Indiana native, Walorski was first elected to represent Indiana’s 2nd district in 2012 and served on the House

Sen. Pat Toomey is again demanding transparency by the Federal Reserve after learning the central bank withheld documents he and other Republicans sought related to former Fed nominee Sarah Bloom Raskin during her confirmation fight. “It’s hard not to see this as a gesture of contempt for the Senate,” Toomey, the top Republican on the

The next few months will be key for California’s embattled and costly high-speed train project as the agency overseeing the project works to assemble state and federal financing needed to complete the first leg. The California High-Speed Rail Authority may hit the market as soon as November with a fresh tranche of state-backed bonds. At