Bonds

Merger activity among not-for-profit and for-profit hospitals dipped for a fifth consecutive year in 2022, with mega-mergers in the forefront of a sector dealing with operating challenges from inflation, a nursing shortage, and patient volume trends. Announced mergers and acquisitions dropped to 55 last year from 73 in 2021, continuing a downward course since 2017

After five years of growth that followed a relaunch of its municipal business, UBS Financial Services cut from its banking ranks this week in the aftermath of a down year for issuance and headwinds for 2023. The firm slashed 20% of its overall municipal team — which includes banking, sales, trading and underwriting — with

Municipals were steady Thursday in the secondary market while an $830 million deal from the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority took focus in the primary. U.S. Treasuries yields rose after the fourth-quarter gross domestic product report was better than expected and equities ended up. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 54%, the five-year at 57%,

The top bond counsel firms combined for a total of $359.123 billion in 7,878 transactions during 2022, down from the $456.136 billion in 11,819 deals in 2021. Only four firms remained in the same spot as in the prior last year: Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe, Kutak Rock, Norton Rose Fulbright and Chapman and Cutler. Bryant

York County, South Carolina, priced $24.6 million of revenue bonds Wednesday to recoup costs incurred by the county to take over of a private water utility operation. The proceeds will cover a portion of the $36 million price tag York County paid to take over private firm Blue Granite Water’s water utility operations in the

Federal Reserve Vice Chair Lael Brainard is a top contender to become the head of the White House’s National Economic Council, according to people familiar with the deliberations. President Biden has not made a final decision on who will fill the role being vacated by Brian Deese, the people said, noting that interviews were still

Roger Millar, AASHTO’s new president and chief of Washington’s Department of Transportation, joins Caitlin Devitt to talk about the rollout of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, how a tight labor market and inflation are impacting capital plans, what a divided Congress means for transportation and an update on the Pacific Northwest’s high speed rail project. (24

Hawaii lawmakers will debate a plan by Gov. Josh Green that could alter the state’s tax structure. His proposal would shift some of the tax burden from middle-class Hawaiians to tourists, who fuel the state’s economy. Green took office Dec. 5, replacing termed-out David Ige, who served for eight years. “Today, we need new ideas,

Connecticut’s surplus projection for the current fiscal year received a $324.7 million boost. The Connecticut Office for Policy and Budget Management’s recently announced forecast for fiscal 2023, which runs through June, projects general fund revenue of $23.2 billion. Compared to December’s projections, revenues are up $265.3 million and expenses are down $59.4 million. That $324.7

The state of California is expected to see more than twice the demand for its private activity bonds than what is available under the $4.7 billion cap allowed by the IRS for 2023, according to the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee. On Wednesday, the committee, chaired by Treasurer Fiona Ma, approved the $4.7 billion PAB

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said roughly $2 trillion of reserves could be taken out of the banking system without disrupting banks. Waller discussed monetary policy and his views on the economy during an hourlong event Friday afternoon hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations. During the event, he said the Fed could reduce its

Bondholders controlling more than two-thirds of the $180 million outstanding Puerto Rico Industrial Development Co. bonds filed suit against the Puerto Rico Oversight Board and the Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority seeking full payment. Affiliates of GoldenTree Asset Management LP complained that PRIDCO’s bonds have not paid since the passage of the Puerto Rico

A suburban Chicago hotel and conference center working to get back on track from COVID-19-induced operating struggles made a partial payment on overdue interest owed to some holders of $142 million of restructured bonds. Breathing room still remains through this year for the Westin hotel and conference center complex in Lombard from a bondholder-provided loan

Municipals were weaker in spots Friday, outperforming a U.S. Treasury selloff, while equities ended up. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 55%, the five-year at 58%, the 10-year at 64% and the 30-year at 87%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the three at 55%, the five at 59%,

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority approved a contract Thursday with a consortium to run its electric generating facilities, despite observers raising some concerns about one member of the group. The consortium, Genera PR, would include New Fortress Energy, the El Nuevo Día and El Vocero web sites reported. New Fortress is a liquified natural

Municipals were firmer once more on Thursday as triple-A benchmark yields fell further and inflows continued. U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended in the red. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 56%, the five-year at 59%, the 10-year at 65% and the 30-year at 88%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE

Minnesota-based Fairview Health Services lost its A-level rating from Moody’s Investors Service and could fall further on the credit scale as it copes with worsening operating struggles that began before the COVID-19 pandemic. Moody’s lowered the rating Wednesday to Baa1 from A3 and assigned a negative outlook. Further downgrades raises the risk that Fairview — which

Municipals were firmer in secondary trading Wednesday as several large deals in the primary took focus and triple-A benchmarks underperformed a U.S. Treasury rally after data showed a decline in retail spending. Equities ended in the red. Triple-A benchmarks were bumped four to 10 basis points, while UST yields fell 13 to 19 basis points.

Growth in U.S. prices is expected to ease in the year ahead, contacts surveyed in the Federal Reserve’s latest Beige Book said. “Selling prices increased at a modest or moderate pace in most districts, though many said that the pace of increases had slowed from that of recent reporting periods,” the Fed said Wednesday in

Beefed up disclosure and the resulting transparency promised by the contentious Financial Data Transparency Act is seen as necessary medicine by one of the industry’s big three credit rating agencies. “We think improved disclosures are beneficial for rating analysis and for the market,” said Jenny Poree, senior director sector lead, S&P Global Ratings. “There’s certainly