Yvette Shields

Moody's Investors Service on Friday placed Illinois-based Proctor Hospital's speculative-grade B2 rating on review for upgrade due to its signing of an affiliation agreement with the stronger and larger Methodist Health Services Corp.

American Airlines proposed merger with US Airways Group stands to impact all airports but several US Airways large hubs are most at risk for change, Wells Fargo Securities LLC says.

Positive developments delay the date of tobacco securitization bond defaults but defaults are still likely, municipal bond analyst Richard Larkin warned.

An Illinois judge said he intends to rule next week on whether Gov. Pat Quinn acted within his authority to strike legislative pay from the fiscal 2014 budget to pressure lawmakers on pension reforms.

Fitch Ratings renewed its warning about a potential broader market impact on how it rates unlimited tax GOs should Detroit prevail in bankruptcy in treating its unlimited tax bonds as unsecured.

A Cook County Circuit Court judge rejected Chicago's efforts to trim the size of a $58 million arbitration award won by the private operators of four downtown city and park district-owned parking garages.

Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidate William Daley, former White House chief of staff, bowed out of his challenge to incumbent Pat Quinn, a fellow Democrat.

Wisconsin-based Meriter Hospital's steep losses at its affiliated for-profit health plan prompted Moody's Investors Service to downgrade its rating by one notch to A2 and the agency warned of further deterioration by assigning a negative outlook.

Standard & Poor's put Chicago on notice Monday that its A-plus general obligation rating faces a downgrade due to the size of its unfunded pension obligations and the strain of a looming $600 million spike in its pension contributions.

Less than half of state pension plans met Morningstar Inc.'s threshold for healthy status in 2012 with Wisconsin again ranking the strongest and Illinois the weakest.

A judgment in a New Jersey civil lawsuit shouldn't impede the ability of the Minnesota Vikings' owners to finance their contribution to a football stadium, a public review found.

After his veto of a tax relief package was sustained, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon released $215 million of $400 million in budgeted funds he had previously withheld.

A bankruptcy judge confirmed American Airlines’ reorganization plan but its exit from Chapter 11 depends on resolution of the antitrust lawsuit against its merger with US Airways Group.

Nine states prevailed in arbitration with the tobacco companies in a dispute over the 1998 master tobacco settlement, providing a boost for those with outstanding tobacco bonds.

Missouri Republicans failed to override Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon's veto of a tax cut package.

The Illinois Finance Authority advanced borrowing plans by Presence Health and several other elementary and higher education institutions totaling more than $400 million this week.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel voiced support for his chief financial officer Lois Scott this week, following reports highlighting her past business ties to former comptroller Amer Ahmad, who faces federal corruption charges tied to his tenure as deputy Ohio Treasurer.

A political landscape marked by anti-privatization sentiments may have left Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel little choice but to drop the city's bid to lease Midway International.

The Ramsey County, Minn., Board has approved placing a bid for the struggling Vadnais Heights sports complex financed with $27 million of now defaulted bonds.

Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf can cover his share of a new $975 million football stadium despite a hefty judgment civil lawsuit, according to a Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority-ordered examination.