Bonds

Muni yields climbed even higher to end the week, while U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended down. Muni yields, after outperforming USTs the prior week, “have adjusted higher in a hurry this week in sympathy with the UST selloff,” said Barclays strategists Mikhail Foux, Clare Pickering and Mayur Patel. Triple-A benchmark yields rose four

The federal government, five cities and California have struck an agreement they say will cut red tape at all levels of government to reduce homelessness more quickly. The cities selected to participate in the program — Los Angeles, Dallas, Phoenix, Chicago, Seattle — along with California, are home to nearly half of the nation’s homeless

California’s rating outlook was revised to negative from stable Thursday by Moody’s Investors Service amid the state’s revenue uncertainty. The rating agency also affirmed the Aa2 rating on the state’s general obligation bonds, citing the state’s massive economic base and healthy budget reserves and liquidity. The Aa2 rating on the state’s general obligation bonds is

As a gusher of federal funding rains down on local governments, challenges and solutions are emerging from the front lines. According to Tampa, Florida Mayor Jane Castor, speaking during a Brookings Institution panel discussion on Thursday in Washington, the city has 31 miles of drinking water pipeline under construction. It also has 34 miles in design

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board asked District Court Judge Laura Taylor to dismiss Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bondholders’ remaining legal arguments, which would ease the path to approval of its current proposed plan of adjustment. The arguments, if accepted, would mean a bigger payout for bondholders. Swain addressed two of the bondholders’ arguments in

Short-term munis sold off Wednesday, as triple-A benchmarks rose in sympathy with U.S. Treasuries. Equities rallied. Muni yields rose seven to 12 basis points five years in, while USTs rose two to eight basis points. Performance-wise, Matthew Buscone, co-head of portfolio management at Breckinridge Capital Advisors, said the muni market has been soft this week.

Municipals were weaker Tuesday as U.S. Treasury yields rose and equities ended down. The two-year muni-Treasury ratio Tuesday was at 67%, the three-year at 68%, the five-year at 67%, the 10-year at 66% and the 30-year at 87%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the two-year at 70%, the

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board approved an amended general fund budget for the current 2023 fiscal year that is 12% larger than the budget approved in June and contains funds for the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The $13.9 billion budget “reflects updated revenue and expense projections,” the board said when it announced the revised

Jackson County, Missouri, hits the market with a $260 million special obligation issue that will wrap up financing for a new jail complex long in the works that was chosen as the best option to deal with overcrowding and other public safety and mental health treatment goals. The bonds are expected to price as soon

California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and 15 other attorneys general, filed an amicus brief in federal appeals court supporting Oakland and San Francisco’s climate change lawsuit against five fossil fuel companies. In their consolidated case, city of Oakland v. BP et al, the California cities claim the fossil fuel companies mislead the public about the

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said “no” to revenue anticipation notes and a tax increase, but “yes” to climate and mental health bond proposals in the May budget revisions he presented Friday. Newsom stressed emphatically that the state has no plans to issue revenue anticipation notes despite expectations that $49 billion in anticipated revenues won’t come

Municipals were weaker in spots to end the week, while U.S. Treasuries and equities saw losses on continued concerns over the debt limit impasse and questions over the Federal Reserve’s next policy moves. Municipals mostly stayed in their own lane throughout the week but UST weakness Friday seeped into the secondary Friday, moving yields higher

Illinois trimmed its revenue estimates for the current fiscal year and must absorb higher social services expenses next year, leaving less room to maneuver as lawmakers finalize a supplemental spending package and new budget. They’re entering the homestretch of their spring session that’s slated to end May 19 with passage of a fiscal 2024 budget

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board will not be forced to turn over documents that may have provided a clearer picture of finances pertinent to the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed an appeals court decision, rejecting journalist group Centro de Periodismo Investigativo’s (CPI) request for Puerto Rico Oversight Board papers.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s tax relief package is one step closer to passage despite slumping revenue figures. On Tuesday, the state Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed a $55.8 billion budget for fiscal ’24, forwarding along to the Democratic-controlled chamber a $575 million tax cut plan that preserves many of the proposals the governor

Turmoil in the bank sector may accelerate concentration of the municipal bond buyer base, as banks shed muni holdings and pull back from buying more. Instability among smaller banks began in March with the collapse of SVB and New York’s Signature Bank following aggressive rate-hiking by the Federal Reserve that has led to a mismatch

Municipals remained little changed as fund outflows receded, the last of large deals of the week priced and Silicon Valley Bank muni holdings lists began circulating the Street for liquidation. U.S. Treasuries were firmer out long and equities ended mixed. Triple-A yields were little changed while UST yields fell on economic data. Lists of the

Federal Reserve Board Gov. Christopher Waller said climate change poses risks to banks, but not at a scale warranting new regulatory or supervisory standards. Speaking at an event on Thursday at Spanish university in Madrid, Waller said any attempt to set policies around climate change would be outside the Fed’s statutory authorities and expose the

A major sticking point in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy is the discrepancy over the size of bondholders’ claim, with the Oversight Board and bond parties $6.5 billion apart. The board, in a filing Tuesday, placed the value at 24% of principal and pre-petition interest due at time of the bankruptcy petition in

Colorado lawmakers wrapped up their legislative session this week with the last-minute passage of a plan to ease a big tax hit for property owners due to rising assessed values, with the state stepping in to replace some revenue lost by local governments and schools. Gov. Jared Polis and members of the Democrat-controlled legislature last