Bonds

After a long period of extremely low yields, municipals finally appear to be in a range that offers an attractive entry point for investors, particularly retail, if they can move past outside factors such as the debt ceiling fight and the banking crisis that has kept many sidelined so far this year.   “Ultimately, the

Governor Brian Kemp of Georgia on Thursday announced the recipients of $225 million of federal health and public facilities development grants funded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The state selected142 projects from a crowded field of proposals submitted by local governments and nonprofit organizations as per federal regulation that would help “improve

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari said it’s a “close call” for him if the central bank should raise interest rates next month or pause while it monitors the outlook for inflation. “I think right now it’s a close call, either way, versus raising another time in June or skipping. What’s important to

Michigan trimmed its revenue estimates Friday to account for tax changes that carry a multi-billion-dollar price tag. The new projections could require roughly $600 million in reduced spending over what Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed earlier this year in the fiscal 2024 budget that would take effect Oct. 1. It relies on available revenue from what

The Kroll Bond Rating Agency upgraded Connecticut’s long-term general obligation rating to AA-plus from AA on Thursday. The upgraded rating continues Kroll’s stable outlook and reflected Connecticut’s “strong credit profile and significant and continuing progress in improving its financial position over the last six fiscal years,” the agency said. KBRA pointed in particular to the extension

Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Lorie Logan said the case for pausing interest rate increases at the central bank’s June meeting isn’t yet clear, while her colleague Gov, Philip Jefferson sounded ready to be patient. “After raising the target range for the federal funds rate at each of the last 10 FOMC meetings, we

California’s rating outlook was revised to negative from stable Thursday by Moody’s Investors Service amid the state’s revenue uncertainty. The rating agency also affirmed the Aa2 rating on the state’s general obligation bonds, citing the state’s massive economic base and healthy budget reserves and liquidity. The Aa2 rating on the state’s general obligation bonds is

A committee formed by the California treasurer’s office has developed investor-driven guidelines for disclosure on green bond issuance. The thrust of the guidelines, created by the California Green Bond Market Development Committee, was to help issuers provide more uniform disclosure. It dovetails with the International Capital Market Association’s guidelines, but provides information more specific to

Two Federal Reserve officials signaled they favored pausing interest rate increases, while a third policymaker said the central bank’s task in subduing inflation was not complete. “We at the Federal Reserve probably have more work to do on our end to try to bring inflation back down,” Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said Monday during

Texas school districts, flush with new bond authorizations over the last year, are breathing a sigh of relief now that a cost-saving state guarantee program for their debt is fully back in business after the Internal Revenue Service increased its capacity for the first time since 2009.  In a notice of intent last week, the

President Joe Biden has tapped Philip Jefferson for the number two position on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors.  If confirmed, Jefferson, who joined the board last year, will succeed former Gov. Lael Brainard as the Fed’s vice chair. Brainard vacated the position to lead the National Economic Council in February.  A former administrator at

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey’s tax relief package is one step closer to passage despite slumping revenue figures. On Tuesday, the state Senate Ways and Means Committee unanimously passed a $55.8 billion budget for fiscal ’24, forwarding along to the Democratic-controlled chamber a $575 million tax cut plan that preserves many of the proposals the governor

Illinois trimmed its revenue estimates for the current fiscal year and must absorb higher social services expenses next year, leaving less room to maneuver as lawmakers finalize a supplemental spending package and new budget. They’re entering the homestretch of their spring session that’s slated to end May 19 with passage of a fiscal 2024 budget

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said “no” to revenue anticipation notes and a tax increase, but “yes” to climate and mental health bond proposals in the May budget revisions he presented Friday. Newsom stressed emphatically that the state has no plans to issue revenue anticipation notes despite expectations that $49 billion in anticipated revenues won’t come

West Virginia’s general revenue collections came in $319 million above estimates for April, the single largest month surplus in state history. The state’s April personal income tax collections came in $192.8 million above estimates, also a record for a single month. Year-to-date income tax collections of more than $2.277 billion hit a record high coming

Recent California hospital bankruptcies and closures, and the threat of more on the way, motivated lawmakers to approve a $150 million low-interest loan fund for not-for-profit and government hospitals last week. One in five of California’s roughly 400 hospitals are at risk of closure, according to a Kaufman Hall report commissioned by the California Hospital

Banks and underwriters are beginning to respond to the Securities and Exchange Commission’s recent enforcement actions on limited offering disclosures by requiring investor letters and for some, forgoing the exemption even when they qualify. That’s according to panelists at the SEC’s Municipal Securities Disclosure Conference on Wednesday, where panelists took the time to discuss the

The Federal Reserve said that banks reported tighter standards and weaker demand for loans in the first quarter, extending a trend that began before recent stresses in the banking sector emerged. The proportion of US banks tightening terms on commercial and industrial loans for medium and large businesses rose to 46%, up from 44.8% in

Massachusetts state senators intend to leave Gov. Maura Healey’s $748 billion tax cut package intact in their redrafted budget proposal despite falling state revenues. The fate of Healey’s tax-relief plan, which features a mix of tax rate cuts and policy changes including an expanded child and family tax credit, and was a centerpiece of her

For the first time during the two-month-old banking crisis, the Federal Reserve has taken a public enforcement action against a bank that saw its equity turn negative as a result of underwater bond investments. But the question is: Is this a one-time thing, or more of a trend? “They should use hammers more often, like