Bonds

Fitch Ratings has upgraded Sacramento, California’s issuer default rating to AA from AA-minus. The outlook is stable. Monday’s upgrade “reflects the city’s steady improvements in financial resilience based on incremental gains in reserves. Sacramento’s underlying economic growth coupled with a voter-approved sales tax, which has been permanently renewed, have fueled the increase in reserves,” Fitch

Municipals were steady and relative value increased on the long end of the market amid rising Treasuries Tuesday. The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority came to market with over $800 million of bonds as two New York issuers offered large deals to hungry retail investors ahead of Wednesday’s release of the Federal Open Market

The Federal Reserve told a judge not to scrap Libor as requested by consumers in a lawsuit because it would pose a risk to financial stability and undermine years of global planning for a transition to a new benchmark for borrowing rates. A staged transition away from the London interbank offered rate is underway globally,

Municipals were steady on Monday as New York City took orders of over $110 million on the first day of a two-day retail order period for $1.039 billion of general obligation bonds. Investors prepared for a week that will see nearly $10 billion of new volume come to market. Triple-A benchmark bonds from 2022 to

Chicago must close a $733 million gap in its next budget as it looks to federal relief and savings from a $1 billion refunding to balance the books this year after scrapping scoop-and-toss plans. “While we still have hard work ahead of us in order to close this gap, this figure is a great indication

ICE Data Services has launched a new service designed to help investors navigate the complex world of social impact investing in the municipal bond market. The ICE social impact scores, powered by risQ, will let the service’s users compare which local communities will be socially impacted the most by their investments, a strong component in

Nine mayors from across the country backed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s call for Congress to approve both the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the $3.5 billion budget reconciliation package. The same number of moderate Democrats in the House came out Thursday against Pelosi’s approach, saying the House shouldn’t delay passage of the bipartisan infrastructure

Forward delivery bonds have already surpassed their annual record for issuance as issuers use the tool, along with taxable refundings, to replace the loss of tax-exempt advance refundings. Forward delivery bonds are attractive to both issuers looking for savings and investors seeking any incremental yield in an uber low-rate environment, Barclays PLC said in a

Municipal bonds were little changed to slightly firmer on the short end Friday after a week in which the longer end of the yield curve brought yields back to early July levels, with pressure from more supply and a weaker U.S. Treasury market. UST yields reversed their negative course with the 10-year falling seven basis

The curve steepening continued Thursday with a steady tone inside 10-years and pressure on bonds outside there forced another session of one to two basis point cuts to benchmark yield curves as U.S. Treasury yields also rose and equities were mixed. Triple-A benchmarks have the 10-year at 0.90%-0.91% and the 30-year at 1.48%-1.50%. With the

Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Esther George said the central bank needs to move ahead with reducing monetary stimulus, citing expectations for continued labor-market gains. “Now, with the recovery underway, a transition from extraordinary monetary policy accommodation to more neutral settings must follow,” George said in the text of a virtual speech to

The taxable municipal securities market was primarily driven by institutional trading in 2020, in contrast to the individual-investor-driven Build America Bonds-era boom. The increasing influence of institutional market participants is consistent with overarching trends in the tax-exempt market, but is seen more so in taxables, a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board report finds. “Both the taxable

Municipals faced pressure outside of 10 years Wednesday, moving benchmarks on those bonds cheaper by two basis points, while U.S. Treasuries were little changed and new issues showed the spread tightening that continues on sought-after credits. In the primary, an airport deal out of Pittsburgh saw compelling levels for the sector that has seen spread

High speed rail, championed by President Joe Biden on the campaign trail, was shunted to the sideline in the $1.2 trillion infrastructure package approved by the Senate Tuesday. It does, however, include $66 billion for intercity rail programs, which the White House calls “the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak 50

Municipals felt the pressure of an increase of supply and a weaker U.S. Treasury market, and benchmarks saw two- to three-basis-point cuts to scales, but new issues repriced to lower yields. The 10-year muni hit 0.90% on ICE Data Services scale and just below that on Refinitiv MMD, Bloomberg BVAL and IHS Markit, reaching early

Municipal market participants question the wisdom of executing Puerto Rico’s bankruptcy without local legislative approval for new bonds and instead relying on court-approved debt, as the Oversight Board is exploring. New bonds are key to Puerto Rico’s exit from bankruptcy, as are cuts to Puerto Rico’s three main pension systems: the Employees Retirement System, Judicial

Municipals were a touch weaker to start the week as U.S. Treasury yields rose again, with the 10-year topping out at 1.32% and the 30-year creeping closer to 2% while equities were mixed on negative COVID Delta news. Triple-A benchmarks saw cuts of one to two basis points across the curve, but still outperformed two

The Puerto Rico Oversight Board filed a brief summarizing the arguments it will make in November’s Plan of Adjustment hearing, arguing it has treated the creditors fairly, the plan is in their best interests, and its plan preempts dozens of local laws. The board was required by bankruptcy Judge Laura Taylor Swain to file an

Cain Brothers, a division of KeyBanc Capital Markets Inc., has hired Kyle Hemminger as it looks expand its healthcare practice. Hemminger joined the healthcare public finance group in the Columbus, Ohio, office this month as a director to cover healthcare and senior living organizations nationally. He joins a healthcare team that now totals 23 professionals

Videos of floodwater in upper Manhattan went viral last month as storms flooded New York’s streets with four inches of rain. While subway commuters waded through waist-high water at 157th Street, water cascaded down the Dyckman Street subway station, home to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s A line. “These videos are a reminder of more dramatic