Bonds

San Francisco Mayor London Breed issued a directive Monday providing further guidance on the city’s eight-year plan to permit 82,000 new housing units in the city. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that California has approved the city’s Housing Element plan, making it one of the few Bay Area cities to meet a state deadline

Municipals were weaker once more, while U.S. Treasury yields rose out long, and equities ended up. Triple-A benchmark yields were cut up to seven basis points, depending on the scale, pushing the one-year above 2.50%. The last time the one-year was above 2.50% was Jan. 10. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 53%, the five-year

Citigroup cut three positions from its municipal ranks last week, including that of veteran public finance banker Thomas Coomes, who had co-led the firm’s Midwest region which is based out of Chicago. The bank also let go Daniel Daley and Marc Livolsi in the New York office, according to multiple sources. Coomes, a managing director,

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said January’s strong jobs report raises the possibility that the central bank will need to increase interest rates to a higher peak than policymakers had previously expected. If a stronger-than-expected economy persists, “It’ll probably mean we have to do a little more work,” Bostic told Bloomberg News

Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority creditors filed objections in the U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico to the Puerto Rico Oversight Board’s proposed disclosure agreement, asserting it is unconfirmable and fails to provide key information. A board spokesman said, “We will respond [to the objections] in detail in court.” The Ad Hoc Group of PREPA

Environmental, social, and governance-related disclosure benefits municipal issuers, according to a panel of municipal professionals. Risks issuers face currently weren’t a consideration 50 years ago, noted Richard Freund, associate director at CDP North America, at a session at The Bond Buyer’s National Outlook Conference Thursday. Risk is risk and impact is impact, said Freund. Issuers

The developers of the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey, have missed another scheduled debt service payment on the bonds issued to bankroll its construction. Triple Five, owner and developer of American Dream, missed a payment due on $287 million of limited obligation grant revenue bonds issued through the Public Finance Authority in

The triple-A Texas program that guarantees public school bonds is quickly using up its already limited capacity, ending December with only a projected $26.65 million available. Amid a slew of school debt approved by voters last year, the Permanent School Fund program has experienced high demand that shrank its projected available capacity from $3.97 billion

On the heels of municipal bond issuance disappointing in 2022, nearly two-thirds of market participants in a Bond Buyer live market survey said they expect 2023 issuance to remain around last year’s levels. The muni market saw $384.086 billion of debt issued in 2022, down 21% year-over-year, as issuers were flush with cash and rising

Municipals were hit hard across the curve Friday, with the most damage felt on the short end. Triple-A benchmarks outperformed a U.S. Treasury rout on the heels of a hotter-than-expected jobs report. Triple-A benchmarks were cut six to 15 basis points at the one-year, with smaller cuts across the curve. U.S. Treasury yields rose eight

As interest rates continue to rise, the draw of pension obligation bonds appears to be falling fast. A financial instrument that has appealed to many municipalities to remedy underfunded pension plans is once again looking like a losing borrow and bet scheme. “Typically, the biggest risk with POBs is market timing risk,” said Todd Kanaster,

Municipals were firmer Thursday as municipal bond mutual fund outflows returned, while U.S. Treasuries were steady and equities ended mixed. The three-year muni-UST ratio was at 55%, the five-year at 57%, the 10-year at 63% and the 30-year at 88%, according to Refinitiv MMD’s 3 p.m. ET read. ICE Data Services had the three at

A pair of New Jersey lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan House bill to lift the cap on state and local tax deductions. HR 680, introduced Jan. 31 by Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, would lift the $10,000 cap to $100,000 for individuals and $200,00 for married taxpayers, significantly lifting the current

Bolingbrook, Illinois, was downgraded seven notches by S&P Global Ratings, which cited the Chicago suburb’s unwillingness to cover shortages on unrated sales tax revenue bonds as a management and governance risk. The village of 73,000said the downgrade “sets a harmful and disruptive precedent for any credit secured by specific revenues that do not pledge the

Florida faces a year of unprecedented opportunities tempered by some economic challenges, according to participants at a virtual conference held by the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “We believe that Florida is going to see another year of growth,” Mark Wilson, president of the chamber, said during its online 2023 economic outlook and jobs solution summit

Puerto Rico’s general fund net revenues were 28% above projections in December and 14% higher than those of December 2021. Through the first six months of the fiscal year, net revenues came in 14% ahead of projections and 3% ahead of July to December 2021, according to the Puerto Rico Department of the Treasury.  Net

In the midst of a supply and demand quandary — with the Federal Open Market Committee announcement looming on Wednesday — the municipal market began the week with a lackluster feel. That tone combined with the weakness in Treasuries on Monday — as investors were likely unwinding their longer-term trades and sitting on the sidelines

Chicago’s fiscal progress on structural balance and pensions drew rating upgrades and high-grade investors to recent bond deals but easing the longer term strains of pensions will require state intervention, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.   Whether the city’s fiscal momentum can help Lightfoot win a second term is uncertain. She faces eight rivals vying for

Arizona’s launch last year of the most expansive school choice voucher program in the nation, which has proven to be costlier than expected, may be inspiring other states to follow suit with Iowa and Utah already enacting laws.  Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s new Democratic governor, called for the repeal of a 2022 law signed by Republican

The city of Miami and the county of Miami-Dade continue to rebound from the pandemic with unprecedented economic growth coupled with record low unemployment rates. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava unveiled plans to create an authority to fund innovation while Miami City Mayor Francis Suarez focused on the environment and housing affordability. The Miami-Dade