Bonds

U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva, D-Ariz., submitted a bill Friday for a binding plebiscite on Puerto Rico’s political status, but its chances of passage are slim. The bill would offer Puerto Rico voters three options: statehood, independence, and sovereignty in free association with the United States. The current status as a territory would not be offered.

Municipals were little changed to close out the week, while U.S. Treasury yields fell slightly and equities rallied. Muni to UST ratios were at 65% in five years, 83% in 10 years and 96% in 30 years, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. read. ICE Data Services had the five at 64%, the 10 at

The Federal Reserve’s Inspector General said Chair Jerome Powell and former Vice Chair Richard Clarida’s trading activity had not broken any laws or rules, but the probe into the former heads of the Dallas and Boston regional Fed banks remained open. “We did not find evidence to substantiate the allegations that former Vice Chair Clarida

Hospital and health system mega-mergers took the spotlight in the second quarter as the number of mergers and acquisitions dropped year-over-year while revenues involved in those deals hit record levels. The sector saw 13 announced deals, down from 14 in the second quarters of both 2021 and 2020 and a seven-year high of 31 in

Florida state government revenues surged in fiscal 2021-22, bringing its total budget surplus to a record high of $21.8 billion, more than 21% above previous forecasts, as its economy continued to recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, collections came in $742 million above estimates with preliminary data for June showing revenue

When Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell describes the central bank’s approach to raising interest rates to tame inflation, he seems to return again and again to the same word: “expeditiously.” But as the central bank is laser focused on fulfilling its mission to maintain price stability, it could risk running afoul of one of its

The former Treasury official and University of Michigan administrator’s confirmation gives the Federal Reserve Board a full complement of seven governors for the first time in nearly a decade. Michael Barr, a former Treasury official and university administrator, has been confirmed as the next vice chair for supervision for the Federal Reserve. The Senate confirmed

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal is seeking to turn up the dial on his housing agenda, reigniting discussions around what an expansion of the low-income housing tax credit may look like in the months leading up to crucial midterm elections. The credit was a major part of the discussion during the Ways

The “social” part of environmental, social, and governance evaluations poses the most downside risk to governmental and not-for-profit issuers in the Midwest and Central regions, S&P Global Ratings said in an ESG report published Tuesday. Analysts put an “elevated” risk label on its social scorecard, and “neutral” labels on environmental and governance factors in a

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said “everything is in play” for policy action after data showed that U.S. inflation accelerated again to a fresh four-decade high last month. “The top-line number is a source of concern,” Bostic told reporters Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Florida. “Everything is in play.” Asked if that included

Municipals were little changed in secondary trading, as eyes turned toward the primary market’s large revenue deals from the New York State Thruway Authority and the Colorado Health Facilities Authority. The 2/10 U.S. Treasury curve significantly inverted after the June consumer price index report came in hotter than expected at 9.1%, further stoking recession fears

Massachusetts plans to bring $2.7 billion of taxable business-tax backed special obligation revenue bonds with a social designation, marking the largest environmental, social and governance deal to date in the municipal market. The deal is also one of the larger taxable deals in 2022 in a year that has seen a significant drop in taxable

Los Angeles International Airport received a $50 million grant from the federal infrastructure bill for terminal road improvements, among the largest dispersed from the $1 billion allocated to 85 airports nationally. The grants are the first allotment in a five-year, $5 billion airport terminal grant program funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Transportation

The Supreme Court decision in Carson v. Makin may render unconstitutional issuer statutes that prohibit the use of bond proceeds for religious purposes. The court ruled last month that if a state chooses to subsidize private education, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because of religious affiliation. The ruling could change the way some

Municipals were mixed to close out a quiet summer Friday session ahead of a larger new-issue calendar that sees several billion-dollar deals. Triple-A benchmark yields once again largely ignored a selloff in U.S. Treasuries after a robust jobs report indicated the Federal Reserve will likely hike interest rates another 75 basis points at its next

As Senate Democrats work to revive a reconciliation spending package, municipal bond lobbyists hope for a fresh opportunity to push through the federal muni agenda. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has reportedly been negotiating for weeks with Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., about the terms of a spending package that would advance President Joe Biden’s agenda

Municipals were steady to firmer in secondary trading Thursday as a large airport revenue bond offering from the City and County of Denver, Colorado, and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority’s MTA deal took the focus. Municipals continued to ignore the movements of U.S. Treasuries, which saw yields rise for the second day, while equities

Calling climate change New York City’s biggest environmental threat, Mayor Eric Adams released a plan Thursday that aims to help the Big Apple prepare for extreme rainfall in the future. “While we continue to invest in resiliency and infrastructure projects to protect us for generations to come, the Rainfall Ready NYC action plan will help every New

Municipals rallied Wednesday, ignoring a selloff in U.S. Treasuries, after the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes reiterated the Fed’s position it would raise rates 50 to 75 basis points at its July meeting to stave off inflation. Equities ended slightly up.. Municipals were in their own lane Wednesday and triple-A yields fell four to

Revenue from Oklahoma’s oil and gas production taxes reached a record high in fiscal 2022, topping $1.5 billion, the state treasurer reported on Wednesday. As prices for the commodities spiked, the taxes generated $1.53 billion, up nearly 103% in the fiscal year that ended June 30 compared to fiscal 2021.  “Inflationary forces are a significant