Bonds

Nora Wittstruck is chief analytical officer for governments at S&P Global Ratings.Bear Gutierrez/Bear Gutierrez Nora Wittstruck is the new chief analytical officer for governments at S&P Global Ratings. Wittstruck takes over from Robin Prunty, who retired in August.  “One of the challenges of whomever would have taken this role is filling her shoes. She is

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at the Democratic National Convention earlier this year. Johnson on Wednesday unveiled his fiscal year 2025 budget proposal.Bloomberg News Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday proposed a $17.3 billion fiscal 2025 budget that calls for a $300 million property tax increase, a move that reverses a campaign promise but avoids

U.S. home sales declined 2.9% in August, according to Freddie Mac, with existing home sales falling to the lowest level since October 2010.Bloomberg News As housing costs remain high, housing finance agencies in the Midwest are selling bonds to finance mortgage loans to buyers of single-family and multifamily homes. Existing home sales declined in August

Secondary trading showed a weaker tone Tuesday but the focus shifted to the primary as a large slate of new issues along the credit spectrum were priced, while U.S. Treasuries improved and equities closed the session mixed. The primary was led by two large California issues, including the state’s competitive sale of tax-exempt and taxable

A leftist candidate for Puerto Rico’s governorship has gained momentum and closed in on the front-runner, but analysts say his election would not have a dramatic impact on the future of the island’s bonds. A poll released Monday by El Vocero, a leading Puerto Rico news outlet, showed the candidate, Jose Dalmau, polling 29% compared

Municipals were little changed Monday as the market took a breather following volatility last week and ahead of what is expected to be the last sizable new-issue slate until well after the election. U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities saw gains. The two-year ratio Monday was at 64%, the three-year at 63%, the five-year at

The Metropolitan College of New York is trying to sell real estate in lower Manhattan as part of a deal with bondholders allowing the school to skip a debt payment in November. The private college hired Cushman & Wakefield as its broker to market and sell “either in whole or in part” its Manhattan campus,

A California Bay Area school district that recently made waves for failing to pass a budget on time sold $352 million of general obligation bonds last week. The district entered the market with a downgrade to its underlying rating, but the deal was bolstered with a bond insurance wrap that covered most maturities. West Contra

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board will be issuing a request for information on its rate card fee setting process, one of the many topics that were discussed during the MSRB’s first quarterly board meeting of FY 2025 held Oct. 23-24. The rate card request for information will be out in the next couple of weeks,

Record bond volume, a focus on climate, more floating-rate debt and broader integration of municipals into fixed-income markets is on the horizon for the public finance industry. Those are among the factors that will lead to market growth in 2025 and beyond, panelists at this week’s Bond Buyer California Public Finance conference said. The increase

Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said that while progress on lowering inflation had resumed in recent months, officials aren’t yet ready to declare their mission accomplished.  “We have made good progress, but inflation is still running above the FOMC’s 2% objective,” Hammack said Thursday, referring to the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee.

Municipals improved Friday after a volatile week for the asset class, ignoring losses in U.S. Treasuries, while equities closed the week mixed. Investors will see higher yields and ratios along with a nearly $11 billion new-issue slate for the final week of the month and the last ahead of the election. Triple-A yields fell three

Tom Vales, a muni bond electronic trading expert, has joined Build America Mutual’s board as an independent director. The bond insurer has seven board members, including three independent directors. Vales will succeed John White, who is retiring, according to a press release. “Tom’s career has been about making fixed-income markets more transparent and efficient,” said Seán

Shreveport, Louisiana, was downgraded by Moody’s Ratings.Adobe Stock Shreveport, Louisiana, was downgraded to Baa2 from Baa1 Wednesday by Moody’s Ratings. The agency maintains a negative outlook on the rating. The downgrade of Shreveport’s issuer, general obligation and senior revenue ratings will affect $2.1 billion in debt when the city completes the anticipated $88 million Series

North Carolina’s largest transportation project to date may be structured as a public-private partnership after the controversial toll lanes proposal won a pair of key votes last week. The Charlotte City Council and transportation planning group Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization gave the green light to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to pursue a

Houston Controller Chris Hollins’ investor conference took place Tuesday without the  participation of key city officials after Mayor John Whitmore raised “pay-to-play” concerns about corporate sponsorships for the event and requested a city probe. Hollins countered on Tuesday, calling on the Houston inspector general’s office to also investigate corporate sponsorships for the mayor’s Sept. 17

Half Day Forest Preserve in Lake County, Illinois. Lake County Forest Preserves is asking voters to approve a $155 million bond referendum on Nov. 5.Jennifer Shea Voters in the Midwest will see a half-dozen conservation referendums on their ballots, three of them involving bonds. Such local issues have one advantage amid the polarization that has

Municipals extended their selloff with the largest losses on the short end amid another busy day in the primary market, led by an upsized JFK Airport Terminal 6 Redevelopment Project deal. U.S. Treasuries were little changed and equities ended mixed. Triple-A yields rose three to 12 basis points, playing some catch up after recent outperformance.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Examination Division will take a closer look at municipal advisors, specifically non-solicitor municipal advisors in FY 2025, and will begin enforcing the move to a T+1 settlement cycle. That comes on the backs of the Commission’s first case enforcing Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board Rule G-42, which was established in 2016

Municipals were weaker Monday following U.S. Treasury market pressures while equities ended down. Triple-A yields rose up to seven basis points while govies were higher by eight to 12 basis points. Short ratios fell as a result of the day’s moves. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Monday day was at 61%, the three-year at 61%, the