Bonds

The Federal Reserve said further interest-rate hikes would be required to restore price stability. “The committee is strongly committed to returning inflation to its 2% objective,” the Fed said in its semi-annual report to Congress released Friday. Officials expect “ongoing increases in the target range will be appropriate in order to attain a stance of

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%

Rep. George Santos’, R-N.Y., introduction of a bill that would raise the federal limit of deductions to $50,000 for individuals or $25,000 for married individuals adds to the recent pile on of efforts by Congressional members to raise or remove the cap entirely, but it isn’t likely to get anywhere due to the Congressman’s nefarious

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

The Oversight Board’s proposed plan of adjustment is not “patently” illegal and the judge in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy said she would approve the board’s related proposed disclosure statement with minor revisions and directed the parties to engage in more mediation. Judge Laura Taylor Swain, in an oral ruling in Tuesday’s disclosure

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

Fritz Stradling, who co-founded Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth’s public finance practice, died peacefully in his sleep on Feb. 17. He was 96. He and his fellow co-founders of Stradling’s public finance practice, John Murphy and Tom Clark, are credited with helping to give California bond law firms stature in the public finance world. “Before

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

A decision last week by the U.S. Supreme Court not to hear a case out of Arkansas could fuel more legislative attempts to cut companies off from doing business, including municipal bond underwriting, with state and local governments if their policies are considered harmful to certain industries.  The litigation challenged a 2017 Arkansas law requiring

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

As the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority prepares to hit the market with a green bond deal, the agency is tackling economic, social and infrastructure challenges. Like many other mass transit authorities across the nation, WMATA has seen its ridership — and farebox revenue — decline during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it also faces unique

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

A municipal fintech platform for asset management firms, banks, insurance companies, and municipal advisors is being developed by Assured Guaranty’s new subsidiary, AG Analytics. The platform intends to deliver best-in-class technology and turnkey solutions to replace fragmented data resources used by municipal asset managers, analysts and other market participants. “Many asset managers are using too

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

For Janice Hofferber, new head of U.S. public finance at Moody’s Investors Service, a focus on fundamentals is key to all the agency does. “Our goal and our mission is really this — to provide investors with the insightful research that will help them make better investment decisions,” she told The Bond Buyer. Hofferber, who

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,