Bonds

S&P Global Ratings on Friday raised Massachusetts’s general obligation long-term credit rating to AA-plus from AA, and upgraded bonds backed by annual appropriations from the state. “The upgrade reflects our view that the commonwealth’s commitment to strengthen its budget management practices supported by the state’s improved reserves and a strong economy will be sustained through

As the New York State Legislature returns to work Monday, lawmakers face several challenges, most importantly negotiating an agreement on a state budget that’s already more than two weeks late. Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled her $227 billion executive budget proposal for fiscal 2024 in February. Budget approval is required by the start of the state’s fiscal year on April

Municipals were steady Thursday in secondary trading as investors turned their attention to a sizable new-issue slate distracting from a weaker U.S. Treasury market. Equities rallied. Outflows from municipal bond mutual funds intensified as Refinitiv Lipper reported $255.794 million was pulled from them as of Wednesday after $91.713 million of outflows the week prior. With

The Securities and Exchange Commission will host its Municipal Securities Disclosure Conference May 10, both in-person and virtual, where moderating staff from the Office of Municipal Securities will lead panelists through topics such as ESG, the Financial Data Transparency Act and voluntary disclosure. The conference will be attended by SEC chairman Gary Gensler, Commissioners Hester

They say the third time’s a charm — and that must be true in the Garden State, where for the third time in less than a week, New Jersey received a credit rating upgraded. S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday raised its long-term and underlying ratings on the state’s general obligation bonds to A from A-minus

In the first quarter of 2023, the Texas Natural Gas Securitization Finance Corporation topped the list of the top 10 issuers. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, the Virginia Small Business Finance Authority, the Regents of the University of Michigan, the Los Angeles Department of Airports, the South Carolina Public Service Authority,

Municipals were firmer in spots, while U.S. Treasury yields rose 10 years and in ahead of Wednesday’s consumer price index report. Equities ended mixed. Triple-A yields were bumped up to three basis points Tuesday while UST yields rose up to two basis points 10 years and in, moving municipal-UST ratios near their 12-month lows, according

New Jersey’s efforts to reduce long-term obligations, especially pension liabilities, resulted in good news for the Garden State, as it received a second rating upgrade ahead of next week’s sale of more than $1 billion of school bonds. Fitch Ratings raised New Jersey’s issuer and general obligation bond ratings on Tuesday to A-plus from A

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bondholders want 100% of what they are owed and the Oversight Board working on the power authority’s bankruptcy plan offers a dramatically lower repayment percentage, court filing show. In a filing late on Friday, the bondholders said even if one assumed their claim was “unsecured,” they would still have a

Signs of slowing revenue growth popped up in Southwest states in March as a boom time for tax collections appears to be winding down. Following some record monthly collections last year, growth in 2023 is trending lower or even negative as states move to cut taxes during their current legislative sessions. Oklahoma’s total tax collections

Citing “rollbacks in the face of myopic right-wing pushback against responsible fiduciary investing,” New York City Comptroller Brad Lander said Wednesday that two of the city’s pension funds have established new plans to reach net zero emissions in their investment portfolios by 2040.  “If the cynical war of political distraction waged by red-state politicians at the

The Securities and Exchange Commission has settled with Roberto Mejill-Tellado for his role in acting as an unregistered investment advisor for the City of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where he and six others were accused of defrauding the city of $9 million. In June 2022, Mejill-Tellado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire

The Internal Revenue Service is examining a $338.4 million 2015 bond issuance by the Clark County School District in Nevada and asking questions about federal tax compliance, according to a letter the district received from the IRS that was disclosed on EMMA. According to the disclosure filing, the IRS is asking for copies of specified

The Biden administration has announced it planned to spend $585 million to fix aging water systems in the West, more than half going to California. The funding announced Wednesday during an event at the Imperial Dam on the Colorado River in Yuma, Arizona, will go to 83 projects across 11 states. California will receive $308

Municipals were firmer Thursday in a relatively quiet trading session as investors waited to see how many nonfarm payroll jobs were added in March. U.S. Treasuries and equities were mixed. The two-year muni-Treasury ratio was at 60%, the three-year at 60%, the five-year at 62%, the 10-year at 64% and the 30-year at 90%, according

The U.S. Virgin Islands Senate postponed voting on a bill that would address the Water and Power Authority’s debt to its fuel supplier after raising concerns about the islands’ own financial obligations for it and a lack of advance notice of it. . The Senate on Wednesday postponed considering a bill for a letter of

Moody’s Investors Service upgraded New Jersey’s issuer rating and general obligation bonds to A1 from A2 Thursday. The upgrade “incorporates a solid economic recovery, with job gains leading the region and driving employment above the state’s pre-pandemic peak,” Moody’s said. The rating agency said the upgrade is supported by the state’s commitment to full, actuarial

Moody’s Investors Service raised Detroit’s general obligation rating to the highest speculative grade, moving it one notch away from a return to investment grade as it continues its slog back from bankruptcy. Thursday’s one-notch upgrade puts the city’s GO and issuer rating at Ba1 and Moody’s sent another positive sign by continuing to maintain a

Muni yields continued to fall along with U.S. Treasuries Wednesday as weaker-than-expected private payrolls for March led to supportive bond prices and a market rally. Equities ended mixed. California priced its $2.6 billion general obligation deal for institutions with double-digit bumps from Tuesday’s retail offering. Municipal to UST ratios on the short end remain rich.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Municipal Securities has added three new staff members that broadens its coverage in offices throughout the country. Soo Im-Tang has been added as senior counsel out of the Los Angeles regional office; Preston Swapp joins as senior counsel based out of the Chicago regional office and Matthew Turner