Andrew Ackerman

WASHINGTON - Producer prices soared 1.1% in December, led by a 3.7% increase in energy goods prices, while core prices increased 0.2% on rising prices for cigarettes, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON - Initial claims surged 35,000 to 445,000 in the week ending Jan. 8, while the four-week moving average for initial claims, a less volatile figure, increased 5,500 to 416,500, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

WASHINGTON — The Securities and Exchange Commission will hurt state and local entities if it adopts rules requiring their appointed board members to register with the SEC and possibly the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, market participants are warning.

Moving money market funds to a floating net-asset value would cause investors to flee the funds and ultimately deprive state and local governments of needed capital, several municipal market groups are warning in a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday charged two former portfolio managers with defrauding a tax-free mutual fund that invests primarily in municipal debt issued in Utah. It appears to be the first such case in which portfolio managers for a registered investment adviser were charged with taking fees from municipal bond issuers, sources said.

WASHINGTON — Issuers and their attorneys are fighting a provision in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed rules for municipal advisers that would require appointed board members of municipal entities to register with both the SEC and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board if they advise on the issuance of municipal ­securities.

WASHINGTON— A federal judge in New York has denied a request by David Rubin, founder of CDR Financial Products, to transfer a bid-rigging case against him, his firm and two other former CDR officials to a federal court in Los Angeles.

WASHINGTON— A federal judge in New York has denied a request by David Rubin, founder of CDR Financial Products, to transfer a bid-rigging case against him, his firm and two other former CDR officials to a federal court in Los Angeles.

WASHINGTON — The Depository Trust Co. has more than doubled some of the fees it collects from municipal issuers for new bond transactions, drawing anger from issuers who are vowing to fight the increases.

WASHINGTON — Only half as many muni advisory firms are registered with the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board compared to those registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission, even though advisory firms are now required to sign up with both regulators under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

WASHINGTON — The Securities and Exchange Commission has approved a proposal by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board to nearly double the amount of fees it collects from dealers, despite industry opposition.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims unexpectedly dropped 34,000 to 388,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Dec. 25, the Labor Department reported Thursday morning.

WASHINGTON - Initial jobless claims unexpectedly dropped 34,000 to 388,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Dec. 25, the Labor Department reported Thursday morning.

The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are in a jurisdictional dispute over which agency will regulate municipal swap advisers, sources said.

The Securities and Exchange Commission last week approved a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board proposal to extend its Rules G-17 on fair dealing and G-5 on disciplinary actions to muni advisers.

WASHINGTON — Initial jobless claims dropped by 3,000 to 420,000 for the week ending Dec. 18, matching economists’ expectations, the Labor Department reported Thursday

WASHINGTON - Initial jobless claims dropped by 3,000 to 420,000 for the week ending Dec. 18, matching economists' expectations.

WASHINGTON — Next year could bring some of the most significant changes in the municipal securities market in 35 years as regulators try to fulfill a vast array of mandates under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and Congress weighs potentially expanded federal oversight of the market.

The National Federation of Municipal Analysts is urging market participants to take a critical look at the feasibility studies or appraisals that issuers use and cite in bond documents to support the viability of bond-financed projects.

The Securities and Exchange Commission Monday proposed a lengthy new rule to establish a permanent registration system for municipal advisory firms as well as individual advisers that would replace a temporary system for firms the SEC put in place in September.