Bonds

Municipals saw small losses ahead of a larger new-issue calendar, while U.S. Treasuries were stronger up front and weaker out long after the jobs report came in lower than expected, as data continued to send the markets mixed signals on the economy’s health. Triple-A benchmarks rose up to three basis points, while USTs saw yields

Municipals cheapened across the yield curve Thursday, but outperformed U.S. Treasuries which sold off after better-than-anticipated payrolls numbers, leading the two- and 10-year to the highest levels since March. Equities ended down. Municipals could not ignore the large losses in USTs, though the July reinvestment dollars and lack of new-issue supply worked to stave off

The Federal Reserve needs to raise interest rates a bit further to rein in an inflation rate that’s too high, monetary expert John Taylor said. “They’ve had a big adjustment over the last couple of years,” the Stanford University professor told a webinar hosted by the American Council for Capital Formation on Thursday, adding, “I

Municipals were little changed Wednesday as U.S. Treasuries were weaker after the release of the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes showed more tightening is likely on the way. Equities were in the red to close the session. The secondary was uneven but triple-A yield curves were mostly steady, as municipals are wont to do

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson tapped state banking regulator Chasse Rehwinkel to fill the city comptroller’s position, a choice that completes his picks for the city’s top fiscal posts. The comptroller manages the collection or disbursement of city revenues and all funds required to be in the custody of the city treasurer.  The chief financial officer, budget director,

Illinois headed into the new fiscal year with fresh deposits to its rainy-day and pension stabilization funds, a low bill balance, and $1 billion in available general revenue funds — hitting several high marks on some fiscal metrics that had sunk during the state’s budget impasse six years ago. The state ended the year with

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, “is at risk of a severe fiscal crisis,” according to a U.S. Government Accounting Office report. The CNMI had $114 million of debt outstanding as of September 2020, much of it bond debt, according to its most recent audited statement. The government at that time

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy averted a government shutdown Friday, signing into law a record-setting $54.3 billion fiscal 2024 spending plan hours ahead of a July 1 budget deadline. The budget records an $8.3 billion surplus and features $5.4 billion of new spending in addition to major tax code changes and tax-relief provisions. For the

Municipals were little changed ahead of the Fourth of July, while U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended up. Triple-A yields were steady, while UST yields rose three to eight basis points. Municipal to UST ratios fell as a result. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Monday was at 59%, the three-year at 61%, the five-year at

Beating the legally mandated July 1 deadline to produce a balanced budget, New York Mayor Eric Adams and City Council have agreed on a $107 billion spending plan for fiscal 2024. “The agreement we reached today comes in the midst of a budget cycle dominated by great challenges and unexpected crises, but I am proud

June municipal bond issuance dropped 9% from 2022 as uncertainty over Federal Reserve policy and market volatility continued, but the total was the highest month of the year. June’s total volume was $34.436 billion in 744 issues, down from $37.775 billion in 984 issues a year earlier, according to Refinitiv data, and lower than the

Connecticut Green Bank is offering a seventh round of its one-year taxable Green Liberty Notes in a sale set to conclude on July 31. With buy-in starting at $100, the notes are geared towards retail investors, carry a 5% coupon rate, and will be issued through CGB Green Liberty Notes LLC, a subsidiary of the

Dallas is moving ahead with plans to finance the replacement of its convention center and improvements to Fair Park starting with the private placement in August of short-term debt, which would be refunded as part of a sale of at least $1.4 billion of long-term bonds in 2024. The city council June 14 authorized work

Municipals were steady to end the month and first half of the year ahead of a paltry new-issue calendar which will see next week’s volume drop to the lowest level of 2023. U.S. Treasuries were firmer out long and equities rallied. Treasuries saw yields fall by as much as seven basis points on the long

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board Friday approved the commonwealth’s fiscal 2024 budget that increases government spending and was already approved by the governor and local legislature. The budget consensus marks a departure from the long history of disagreements between the territory’s elected government and the board created by the federal government to restructure Puerto Rico’s

Munis were weaker Thursday, unable to ignore larger losses in U.S. Treasuries, after better-than-expected economic data pointed to a strong U.S. economy. Equities ended mixed. Economic data released Thursday showed the U.S. economy is strong, said Edward Moya, senior market analyst at The Americas OANDA. The initial reaction saw UST yields surge, “while stocks focused

Not-for-profit hospital balance sheets are on the mend from last year’s challenges that inflicted deep damage on balance sheets, but pressures persist and the recovery is slow going, according to reports published this week. Hospital finances showed signs of stabilizing in May with some improvement in operating margins, declining expenses and notable increases in outpatient visits,