S&P Global Ratings has revised the outlook on Chicago’s general obligation bonds to stable from positive, the rating agency announced Thursday. S&P affirmed its BBB-plus rating on the bonds. The downward revision reflects budgetary pressures that have not been counterbalanced by new revenue growth, S&P said. Specifically, S&P cited rising public safety labor costs, recent

Municipals were slightly firmer in spots Wednesday, as U.S. Treasury yields rose and equities saw more losses after January’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes showed the Fed was not in a hurry to cut rates. Triple-A yield curves were firmer by a basis point or two while a larger new-issue calendar was the focus

U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain rejected Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bond parties’ motion for immediate consideration of their request for a receiver. Bond parties last week requested a hearing within 30 days to lift the bankruptcy’s stay on remedies, like their appointment of a receiver for PREPA. Swain said she would consider the

The Federal Railroad Administration has proposed 15 daily long-distance Amtrak routes as part of the Biden administration’s effort to create a national passenger rail system. The FRA is seeking feedback on the preferred routes by March 8, and plans to make final recommendations to Congress in the spring. The map of 15 routes, released Friday

Municipals were little changed Tuesday as most investors were awaiting new-issue supply, U.S. Treasuries offered little direction in a mixed session and equities were down near the close. Wednesday will see the release of January’s Federal Open Market Committee Meeting minutes, which “should show any division amongst the committee members as to the continued direction

Tax incentives have long been a favored economic development tool of governments, but do we know how to actually use them ourselves? Well, we’re about to find out. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) deployed billions of dollars of tax incentives to fund clean energy and other green investments. In a history-making move, the bill opened

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed the ESG Pension Protection Act — which requires the state pension fund’s decisions be based on maximizing returns — in a ceremony at the governor’s office. The bill, H.3690, was officially signed by the Republican governor on Feb. 5 and went into effect on Feb. 9. The bill directs

Exceptions for manual trades and limited trading activity are crucial if the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board’s amendments to Rule G-14, its controversial move to a one-minute reporting standard from the current fifteen minute window, is adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. That’s according to comments submitted to the SEC, which ranged from cautious acceptance