Bonds

Municipals improved again Thursday as U.S. Treasuries extended their rally on more disinflationary economic data while equities were in the black as well. Triple-A yields were bumped two to five basis points, depending on the scale, while UST yields fell as much as 15 basis points at three years. The moves once again led to
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Nashville, Tennessee received a series of upgrades from S&P Global this week. The credit agency on Monday boosted Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County’s long-term general obligation debt rating to AA+ from AA. The upgrades also apply to obligations supported by its non-tax revenue. The outlook is stable. The action reflected Nashville’s efforts to “strengthen its
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Municipals were firmer Wednesday, but underperformed a U.S. Treasury rally that followed the June consumer price index report showed inflation cooling. Equities ended the session up. Triple-A yields fell up to three basis points while UST saw yields fall by as much as 18 basis points. Ratios rose as a result. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio
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Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. hired Marc Livolsi, formerly of Citigroup, as managing director of public finance marketing. Livolsi, who worked at Citigroup Global Markets Inc. for 25 years until the bank cut his position in February along with two others in its municipal team, will focus on building relationships with public finance professionals as well
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Municipals were steady Tuesday as the new-issue calendar picked up steam, including nearly $1 billion from Texas’ Denton Independent School District and an upsized deal from Utah’s Intermountain Power Agency. U.S. Treasuries were slightly firmer outside of five years and equities ended the session in the black. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Tuesday was at 61%,
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Municipals were mixed Monday ahead of a larger new-issue slate while U.S. Treasuries improved and equities were up near the close. Triple-A yields saw a mix of one to two basis point bumps and cuts, depending on the curve, while UST saw yields fall by one to 11 basis points with the strongest moves inside
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Environmentally friendly infrastructure got a big boost just before California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the budget on July 1 and then again last week through a grant-funding program. With the budget shortfall this year, lawmakers scrambled to tap the state’s cap-and-trade program and other non-general fund sources to sustain ongoing programs. California lawmakers added money
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Municipals saw small losses ahead of a larger new-issue calendar, while U.S. Treasuries were stronger up front and weaker out long after the jobs report came in lower than expected, as data continued to send the markets mixed signals on the economy’s health. Triple-A benchmarks rose up to three basis points, while USTs saw yields
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Chicago will deliver its 2024 budget forecast in mid-September after a series of public roundtable meetings this month that, along with a newly delivered transition report, will help shape Mayor Brandon Johnson’s first budget. Recommendations on pension funding fixes from a Johnson-appointed working group also could influence the budget as the panel readies initial proposals
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Despite wide expectations for declining revenues, big-ticket tax cuts were on the agenda in state legislatures across the Northeast during the most recent budget negotiation periods. With a slowdown in economic activity expected going into fiscal 2024 after a strong post-COVID rebound, almost every state in the region passed or is still negotiating tax cuts
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Municipals cheapened across the yield curve Thursday, but outperformed U.S. Treasuries which sold off after better-than-anticipated payrolls numbers, leading the two- and 10-year to the highest levels since March. Equities ended down. Municipals could not ignore the large losses in USTs, though the July reinvestment dollars and lack of new-issue supply worked to stave off
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Municipals were little changed ahead of the Fourth of July, while U.S. Treasuries were weaker and equities ended up. Triple-A yields were steady, while UST yields rose three to eight basis points. Municipal to UST ratios fell as a result. The two-year muni-to-Treasury ratio Monday was at 59%, the three-year at 61%, the five-year at
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The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory, “is at risk of a severe fiscal crisis,” according to a U.S. Government Accounting Office report. The CNMI had $114 million of debt outstanding as of September 2020, much of it bond debt, according to its most recent audited statement. The government at that time
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