Bonds

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

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said he thinks the U.S. central bank can still achieve a soft landing, with inflation returning to the Fed’s 2% target without triggering a significant downturn. “Yes, the economy could go into recession, but that’s not the base case,” Bullard told the Economic Club of Minneapolis

The Oklahoma House gave final approval Tuesday to a bill that would give as much as $250 million a year in tax credits to parents or guardians of children attending private schools, but will be a big hit to the state budget. The House will not send the measure to the governor for enactment until

Looking at the market’s choppiness and heavy supply, Columbus decided last week to push of its new money and refunding to this week, but little did officials know that the U.S. Treasury would throw a curve ball by suspending the sale of State and Local Government Series securities. City Auditor Megan Kilgore said the city’s

Chicago will tap $53 million of a 2021 budget surplus to fund the ongoing needs of asylum seekers that have flowed into the city from Texas. The city has received some state and federal funding but it falls far short of what’s needed to address the health, food, and housing needs of migrants that Texas

The Virginia Public School Authority plans to issue $63.2 million of School Technology and Security Notes to support the state’s capital program for school rehabilitation. The five-year, tax-exempt Series XI notes are expected to be issued by competitive sale in denominations of $5,000 on or around May 9, according to the authority. The school authority anticipates

Maine has raised its tax revenue projections. The state legislature’s Revenue Forecasting Committee presented revised revenue projections to lawmakers on Friday, adding $233 million in revenue to the balance of the current fiscal year ending in June as well as a $71 million surplus expected for the $10 billion biennial budget passed at the end

The federal government’s draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on Colorado River conditions isn’t likely to trigger significant rating changes, but it could spur the seven states that use the waterway to reach a consensus on additional supply cuts and the future of the watershed, S&P Global Ratings said. The federal government has encouraged the states

American Indian tribes being squeezed by inflation and legacy obstacles to bond issuance testified in front of the House Appropriations Committee on Friday, calling for increases in federal spending to meet critical needs on tribal land. The sympathetic hearing was chaired by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., a member of the Chickasaw nation who acknowledged a

Record state spending on California’s K-12 education will enable schools to retain stable credit quality despite a several-year drop in enrollment, Fitch Ratings said. The state’s schools experienced their sixth year of declining enrollment in fiscal 2023, dropping below 6 million students for the first time in 20 years, said Fitch’s report, released Thursday. The

A California appellate court Thursday resurrected a lawsuit accusing prominent Wall Street banks of conspiring to manipulate the variable-rate debt market. The 1st District Court of Appeal reversed a lower court ruling less than two days after hearing arguments in the case, which dates back nearly 10 years. It’s the latest turn in a series

A bill prohibiting the use of environment, social, and governance criteria for government investments and contracts in Kansas became law this week without the signature of the governor, who raised concerns about the measure. Citing “reservations about the potential unforeseen consequences of House Bill 2100 for the state and for local governments,” Democratic Gov. Laura

As Congress and the White House engage in political brinkmanship over the debt ceiling debate, state governments are already bracing for a stoppage of federal funding and warning of the consequences of a failure to reach an agreement soon. “Without the borrowing authority to sell bonds, the federal government simply wouldn’t have any funds to

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority heads into the market this week with $500 million of new money debt that leaves just another $1.5 billion of borrowing still to come for its$14.8 billion capital program. The fixed-rate bonds will sell Wednesday, according to tollway officials. Proceeds will fund upgrades and expansion projects in the Move

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed a tax cut bill she said would cost the state $1.3 billion over three years and put funding for public schools at risk.  Senate Bill 169, which was passed by the Republican-controlled legislature earlier this month, would replace the state’s three-tier personal income tax structure with a flat

Inflation, a banking crisis and the remnants of COVID-19 related issues make forecasts more difficult than usual. Heading into next week’s Federal Open Market Committee meeting, a division remains between those who expect this to provide the last of the quarter-point rate hikes and those who see another coming. Recession also splits economists, with some

A so-called “fix” for Chicago’s “Tier 2” firefighters to ensure benefits meet federal requirements carries a $350 million price tag. That’s what officials told a House committee that moved the bill forward over the city’s objections. And a police “fix” carries a more burdensome toll of at least $1 billion, sources said. “The city of

Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee began a revival attempt on the Puerto Rico Status Act on Thursday, aiming to give the island territory’s voters the choice of statehood. The bill, which died at the end of the last congressional session, would establish a binding plebiscite – a direct vote on the island to choose between

The Florida Legislature has passed a bill that bans the issuance of municipal bonds using environmental, social or governance standards. The bill now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis for his signature. House Bill 3 passed in the Senate by a 23 to 12 vote along party lines. It was approved last month by the House