Bonds

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority willfully violated the state’s Open Meeting Act when it failed to disclose a $5 billion, bond-financed extension plan on meeting agendas earlier this year, according to the first major ruling in litigation seeking to derail the project. Cleveland County District Court Judge Timothy Olsen ruled Thursday that OTA agendas for January

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority fuel line lenders reached a deal with the Oversight Board that would give them priority over bondholders’ treatment in the authority’s debt restructuring. The fuel line lenders’ $700 million claim would receive new PREPA bonds, the board said Thursday night in announcing the deal. “The principal to be paid on

A top-rated Texas program that guarantees public school bonds may be nearing a shutdown after its projected available capacity fell to just $653 million at the end of October.  The big drop from $3.52 billion at the end of September comes amid a huge wave of voter-approved school debt in the state. The Texas Permanent

Municipals were little changed Friday as U.S. Treasuries pared back losses to end the day mixed after the morning shock of the hotter-than-expected jobs report sent them selling off. Equities ended mixed. The three-year muni-UST ratio Wednesday was at 62%, the five-year at 69%, the 10-year at 74% and the 30-year at 97%, according to

The new Congress should take action to restore advance refunding and ease liquidity issues in the municipal market by lifting the state and local tax deduction cap, the chair of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association’s board of directors said Thursday. The comments from James Reynolds, Jr.,who is also CEO of Loop Capital Markets,

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy Judge Laura Taylor Swain approved a one-week delay of Thursday night’s deadline for an Oversight Board proposed plan of adjustment. The mediators in the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority bankruptcy asked earlier on Thursday for the delay, citing a lack of data and analyses they were seeking from the

The municipal market strengthened throughout the session Wednesday as Federal Reserve Board ChairJerome Powell said smaller interest rate increases are likely ahead — and could start as early as next month. U.S. Treasuries and equities rallied following Powell’s comments. Triple-A yields fell by two to four basis points with the best performance on bonds 10

Puerto Rico government agencies and authorities completed their approval of extending LUMA Energy’s operation of the island’s electrical transmission and distribution system Wednesday. LUMA took over the system in June 2021 based on a short-term supplementary agreement that was supposed to be replaced by a 15-year Operating and Maintenance agreement on Thursday. However, that agreement

The Illinois Finance Authority signed off on $1.5 billion of borrowing led by two acquisition-related financings: City of Hope’s purchase of for-profit Cancer Treatment Centers of America and University of Chicago Medicine’s purchase of majority interest in four Illinois-based Adventist hospitals. The IFA board also signed off on transactions for the Shedd Aquarium, a Catholic

The Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation has sold $3.1 million of bonds on behalf of the Paul Cuffee School, a Providence-based, kindergarten through 12th-grade public charter school. “RIHEBC’s mission is to help Rhode Island’s health and educational institutions meet their facilities needs, and that’s exactly what this $3.1 million bond issue will do,” said

House members led by Suzan Delbene, D-Wash., and Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, are urging House leaders to extend the 12.5% low-income housing tax credit allocation increase and lower the private activity bond requirement to 25% from 50% in a bid that responds to inflation as well as the affordable housing shortage gripping cities. That ask was

The public agency that owns the stadium built for the former St. Louis Rams votes this week on an agreement to divvy up a $790 million settlement over the team’s 2016 departure, setting the stage for debate over how to put the funds to use. The tentative agreement to distribute the settlement reached with the

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport Monday won final federal approval to launch construction on a global terminal project that is a centerpiece of the airport’s 10-year, $12.1 billion capital plan.   O’Hare is “an absolute powerhouse that in turn makes Chicago and Chicagoland a powerhouse for the American economy,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday when

Despite a negative return in the latest quarter, New York State’s retirement fund is “built to weather the ups and downs of the markets,” even with an investment environment termed “challenging,” according to New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. The New York State Common Retirement Fund’s estimated value at the end of the second quarter

A non-profit Texas corporation that defaulted on bonds sold to purchase two senior living facilities in Oklahoma aims to sell those assets through its recent bankruptcy filing. Leading Life Senior Living, Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Nov. 18 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, sold $30.275 million of tax-exempt

As revenue projections inch toward pre-pandemic norms, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey plans on more capital spending heading into new year, according to its recently proposed fiscal 2023 budget. “We are laser-focused on building a future that benefits all users of our facilities and supports the entire region’s economy,” Port Authority

Municipals saw healthy secondary trading on the short-end of the yield curve Wednesday, while U.S. Treasuries saw larger gains out long and equities improved after the Federal Open Market Committee minutes showed an expectation of slowing rate hikes. The improved tone continued Wednesday, with triple-A muni yields falling up to nine basis points on the

Hawaii Gov. David Ige released a list of $392 million in capital improvement projects Monday that will be paid for with funding approved by lawmakers earlier this fall. The projects — that will be administered by the appropriate state departments — support priorities Ige said he has advocated for during his eight years as governor.

Municipals were firmer Tuesday on the short end, while U.S. Treasury yields saw larger gains five years and out. Equities closed in the black as the markets digested more Fedspeak. While Federal Reserve members have continued to emphasize the need to continue tightening, comments from San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly indicated a “pause is

Municipals were little changed in light trading Monday as a holiday-shortened week with lackluster supply kept it steady for the asset class, while U.S. Treasuries were mixed and equities ended down. The three-year muni-UST ratio on Monday was at 64%, the five-year at 70%, the 10-year at 76% and the 30-year at 92%, according to

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to consider a teachers’ union appeal of the Puerto Rico plan of adjustment, rejecting the petition for certiorari Monday morning. The plan of adjustment, which went into effect in March, freezes future accruals under the teachers’ defined retirement benefit plan held by those in the plan prior to August 2014

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi told House lawmakers Thursday it would be a “nightmare” to unwind LUMA Energy’s contract to provide electricity to the island despite widespread blackouts over the past year. “Nobody should expect that I will allow – if I can help it – for a major disruption of our system just because

Chicago’s inaugural environmental, social, and governance-oriented bond will carry a “social” label and sell under its higher-rated Sales Tax Securitization Corp. credit to widen appeal for retail investors — especially those with a local address. The city first discussed its ESG plans in June and, while still finalizing the size, expects to sell roughly $150

PFM this week hired Nathaniel Singer, whose career spans nearly four decades in the municipal derivatives and advisory space, as a senior director and financial advisor. Singer, who started Wednesday, reports to Dan Hartman, chief executive officer of PFM. Singer will collaborate with professionals and practice groups across the firm and focus on all financial

Despite the impact from Hurricane Ian in Florida, the state’s labor force increased by 36,000 in October with Florida’s private sector adding 35,000 of those jobs. This was the 30th straight month that jobs were created in Florida, while private-sector job growth has exceeded the national pace for the past 19 months, the Department of

Construction will begin early next year on a public-private partnership to build a $4.2 billion terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport after the team locked in financing and federal environmental approvals this week. “This has been a long and difficult road,” said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Rick Cotton

Triple Five, owner of the American Dream mall in New Jersey, has struck a deal with a group of creditors led by JP Morgan that grants the developer a four-year extension on overdue construction debt. The agreement has the potential to ease pressure on $1.1 billion of tax-exempt bond debt taken on separately to finance

Robert Mujica Jr., budget director for New York State, was named executive director of the Puerto Rico Oversight Board, effective Jan. 1. Putting “Puerto Rico on the path towards economic progress” was Mujica’s motivation for taking the position, he said. “I support [the Oversight Board’s] mission to transform Puerto Rico’s recovery into prosperity.” Mujica “has

Municipals improved again Thursday pushing the 10-year triple-A yield firmly below 3% while inflows into municipal bond mutual funds returned after 14 consecutive weeks of outflows. U.S. Treasuries saw losses and equities ended down after Federal Reserve officials tempered expectations of a slowdown in rate hikes. Triple-A yields fell by three to six basis points,

Utah ended fiscal 2022 with a $1.365 billion revenue surplus and most of its budgetary reserve funds at their highest levels since at least fiscal 2013 as the state mulls safeguards in the event of a future decrease in federal funding. Gov. Spencer Cox and legislative leaders announced Tuesday the legislature will have an additional