Bonds

S&P Global Ratings revised the outlook on Arizona’s AA issuer rating to positive from stable, citing the state’s “robust” economic growth, as well as its financial management. The move points to an expectation of a one-in-three chance of a rating upgrade over the next two years, according to the rating agency.  Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs

A coalition organized by New York City Comptroller Brad Lander has filed three lawsuits to allow the launch of congestion pricing.  Lander and his allies hope the lawsuits will force the defendants — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — to begin the

Municipals were mixed Thursday, while U.S. Treasuries were firmer five years and out and equities ended mixed after data showed the economy grew at a hotter-than-expected pace in the second quarter. “News that U.S. economic growth accelerated faster than expected in the second quarter has sent market participants on a roller-coaster ride,” said José Torres,

An Oklahoma court ruling against a state anti-ESG law could help undermine similar laws in Louisiana, Florida, and elsewhere, attorneys said. Oklahoma County District Court District Judge Sheila Stinson late last week issued a permanent injunction against the enforcement of a 2022 state law that led to investment banks being banned from underwriting municipal bonds

The Louisiana State Bond Commission approved three bond issues totaling more than $3 billion on Wednesday. The commission approved a $1.33 billion to $2 billion bond to be backed by tolls on the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge, a state general obligation bond of up to $1 billion, and gave preliminary approval to a state gas

First Eagle Investments hired Purva Patel as managing director and senior investment specialist on its high-yield municipal credit team. Patel started July 18 and is based in Chicago.  Patel joins First Eagle from Nuveen Investments, where she was senior vice president for over two decades and managing director since 2019.  Patel’s hire boosts First Eagle’s

Municipals were little changed in secondary trading Tuesday as the busy primary market took focus, led by two billion-dollar-plus deals from the Texas Transportation Commission and South Carolina Public Service Authority. U.S. Treasuries were firmer and equities were up toward the close. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Tuesday was at 63%, the three-year at 65%, the

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act at least six times in the past several days in response to rampant wildfires that have hit the state. The state experienced thousands of lightning storms resulting in 100 new fires last week, Kotek said during a press briefing on Friday. Three of the blazes

On the heels of President Joe Biden’s departure from the presidential race, munis were mixed Monday. U.S. Treasuries gave back some early gains, ending the day slightly weaker, while equities ended up. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Monday was at 63%, the three-year at 65%, the five-year at 66%, the 10-year at 65% and the 30-year

The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York sold $1.2 billion of revenue bonds last week to good demand, with spreads coming in tighter compared to a DASNY negotiated deal that priced last year. “Overall the bond sale was a success,” said DASNY spokesperson Jeffrey Gordon. “[Last week’s sale] benefited from a calm market

Lack of capacity at state transportation departments share some of the blame for infamously high infrastructure costs in the U.S. compared to other countries. On the other hand, procurement practices that increase competition among contractors help bring down costs, said Will Nober, an economics doctoral student at Columbia University, Zachary Liscow, a professor at Yale

The Board of Directors of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board will try to iron out some thorny issues when they meet on July 24-25, for their final quarterly gathering this fiscal year. Establishing priorities for the next fiscal year and approving the FY 2025 budget to advance its strategic plan are among the agenda items.

California voters consider environmental policy so important, according to a recent poll, that it could influence who they support for president. Most favor a $10 billion bond measure proposed to pay for flood control and climate resiliency projects, and the majority plan to cast their ballots for President Joe Biden in the deep blue state.

Municipals were little changed Friday ahead of another week of healthy issuance. U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended down. Tax-exempts, aided by rallying USTs, are “enjoying a relatively strong start” to the second half, said Barclays strategists Mikhail Foux and Clare Pickering. Investment-grade and high-yield returns “have been remarkably similar, though — on the

An Oklahoma judge on Friday issued a permanent injunction against the enforcement of a 2022 state law that led to four investment banks being banned from underwriting municipal bonds and the targeting of other financial firms for divestment purposes.  Oklahoma County District Court Judge Sheila Stinson took the action “based upon the act being unconstitutionally

Financed with a mix of bonds, general revenue funds and some federal funding, Missouri this month kicked off a major expansion of Interstate 70, which runs parallel to the Missouri River and links St. Louis with Kansas City. The project, which spans 200 miles from Blue Springs to Wentzville, involves repairing the existing four lanes

Short-term munis were slightly firmer Thursday as muni mutual funds saw continued inflows and the primary market slowed. U.S. Treasuries yields rose and equities sold off. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Thursday was at 64%, the three-year at 66%, the five-year at 68%, the 10-year at 67% and the 30-year at 83%, according to Refinitiv Municipal

The threat of cybercrime perpetrated against municipalities continues to mutate into more sophisticated and life-threatening schemes.  “If I had to tell you what keeps me up at night, it’s not necessarily the garden variety ransomware,” said Omid Rahmani, an associate director for U.S. public finance at Fitch Ratings “It’s the advanced, nation-state, havoc-based attacks. These

Municipals were little changed Wednesday as the primary market saw another busy day, led by an upsized $2.5 billion from the New York City Transitional Finance Authority and $1.3 billion from the Regents of the University of California. U.S. Treasuries were slightly firmer and equities were mixed toward the close. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Wednesday

Municipals were firmer in secondary trading Tuesday as the primary market picked up steam, while U.S. Treasury yields fell and equities ended up. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Tuesday was at 65%, the three-year at 66%, the five-year at 68%, the 10-year at 67% and the 30-year at 84%, according to Refinitiv Municipal Market Data’s 3