While some ownership questions were answered, U.S. Virgin Island senators were nearly universally skeptical about a presentation at a hearing Thursday from the purchaser of a major oil refinery site that’s been plagued by financial and environmental challenges for years at a hearing Thursday. The site, Limetree Bay Refinery, and the companies operating it since
Bonds
With its coffers bursting due to record revenue collections, Texas has canceled a summer trip to the short-term note market for a second year in a row. State Comptroller Glenn Hegar on Thursday released a revised certification revenue estimate that more than doubled the projected budget balance at the end of fiscal 2023 to nearly
Municipals took a breather and were little changed Thursday, while U.S. Treasuries were mixed as the 2/10 UST curve flattened but remained inverted, sending worrisome recession signs. Equities ended in the red. Muni to UST ratios were at 65% in five years, 82% in 10 years and 96% in 30 years, according to Refinitiv MMD’s
The Federal Reserve’s Inspector General said Chair Jerome Powell and former Vice Chair Richard Clarida’s trading activity had not broken any laws or rules, but the probe into the former heads of the Dallas and Boston regional Fed banks remained open. “We did not find evidence to substantiate the allegations that former Vice Chair Clarida
When Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell describes the central bank’s approach to raising interest rates to tame inflation, he seems to return again and again to the same word: “expeditiously.” But as the central bank is laser focused on fulfilling its mission to maintain price stability, it could risk running afoul of one of its
The former Treasury official and University of Michigan administrator’s confirmation gives the Federal Reserve Board a full complement of seven governors for the first time in nearly a decade. Michael Barr, a former Treasury official and university administrator, has been confirmed as the next vice chair for supervision for the Federal Reserve. The Senate confirmed
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal is seeking to turn up the dial on his housing agenda, reigniting discussions around what an expansion of the low-income housing tax credit may look like in the months leading up to crucial midterm elections. The credit was a major part of the discussion during the Ways
Florida state government revenues surged in fiscal 2021-22, bringing its total budget surplus to a record high of $21.8 billion, more than 21% above previous forecasts, as its economy continued to recover in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, collections came in $742 million above estimates with preliminary data for June showing revenue
Municipals were little changed in secondary trading, as eyes turned toward the primary market’s large revenue deals from the New York State Thruway Authority and the Colorado Health Facilities Authority. The 2/10 U.S. Treasury curve significantly inverted after the June consumer price index report came in hotter than expected at 9.1%, further stoking recession fears
The “social” part of environmental, social, and governance evaluations poses the most downside risk to governmental and not-for-profit issuers in the Midwest and Central regions, S&P Global Ratings said in an ESG report published Tuesday. Analysts put an “elevated” risk label on its social scorecard, and “neutral” labels on environmental and governance factors in a
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said “everything is in play” for policy action after data showed that U.S. inflation accelerated again to a fresh four-decade high last month. “The top-line number is a source of concern,” Bostic told reporters Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Florida. “Everything is in play.” Asked if that included
Massachusetts plans to bring $2.7 billion of taxable business-tax backed special obligation revenue bonds with a social designation, marking the largest environmental, social and governance deal to date in the municipal market. The deal is also one of the larger taxable deals in 2022 in a year that has seen a significant drop in taxable
Los Angeles International Airport received a $50 million grant from the federal infrastructure bill for terminal road improvements, among the largest dispersed from the $1 billion allocated to 85 airports nationally. The grants are the first allotment in a five-year, $5 billion airport terminal grant program funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Transportation
The Supreme Court decision in Carson v. Makin may render unconstitutional issuer statutes that prohibit the use of bond proceeds for religious purposes. The court ruled last month that if a state chooses to subsidize private education, it cannot disqualify some private schools solely because of religious affiliation. The ruling could change the way some
Municipals were mixed to close out a quiet summer Friday session ahead of a larger new-issue calendar that sees several billion-dollar deals. Triple-A benchmark yields once again largely ignored a selloff in U.S. Treasuries after a robust jobs report indicated the Federal Reserve will likely hike interest rates another 75 basis points at its next
Puerto Rico’s economic activity index increased 0.5% in May from April and 3.3% from May 2021. , according to data released from the Economic Development Bank for Puerto Rico Thursday. Over the last six months the index has gone up four times from month to month, stayed the same once, and gone down once. May was
Municipals were steady to firmer in secondary trading Thursday as a large airport revenue bond offering from the City and County of Denver, Colorado, and the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority’s MTA deal took the focus. Municipals continued to ignore the movements of U.S. Treasuries, which saw yields rise for the second day, while equities
Calling climate change New York City’s biggest environmental threat, Mayor Eric Adams released a plan Thursday that aims to help the Big Apple prepare for extreme rainfall in the future. “While we continue to invest in resiliency and infrastructure projects to protect us for generations to come, the Rainfall Ready NYC action plan will help every New
Municipals rallied Wednesday, ignoring a selloff in U.S. Treasuries, after the Federal Open Market Committee meeting minutes reiterated the Fed’s position it would raise rates 50 to 75 basis points at its July meeting to stave off inflation. Equities ended slightly up.. Municipals were in their own lane Wednesday and triple-A yields fell four to
Revenue from Oklahoma’s oil and gas production taxes reached a record high in fiscal 2022, topping $1.5 billion, the state treasurer reported on Wednesday. As prices for the commodities spiked, the taxes generated $1.53 billion, up nearly 103% in the fiscal year that ended June 30 compared to fiscal 2021. “Inflationary forces are a significant
Municipal yields fell for the third session in a row following the flight-to-safety bid in U.S. Treasuries as recession concerns continue to grow. Equities were mixed. Triple-A benchmark yields were bumped three to six basis points Tuesday with the strongest moves out long. Falling yields over the past two weeks have been “a welcome sigh