Ratings

Rising debt and interest payment ratios over more than a decade, to levels higher than other nations', prompted the downgrade, Moody's said.

The rating agency expects a decline in U.S. air passenger numbers this year due to a deceleration in U.S. economic growth, it said in a report this week. 

The downgrade pushes $2.2 billion of private activity bonds issued for the passenger train startup though the Florida Development Finance Corp. to junk.

Lawsuits claiming the LADWP failed to keep a reservoir filled or maintain water equipment were cited in KBRA's downgrade of its water system's revenue bonds.

The ratings agency changed its outlook on its BBB-minus rating to negative from stable Wednesday.

KBRA downgraded Los Angeles GO bonds to AA from AA-plus in the city's second downgrade within a week. The city's lease revenue bonds were also cut.

S&P noted volume growth and solid operating margins at the large Florida-based healthcare system.

New Britain is reaping a rating reward from higher revenues and stronger budgetary practices, including full actuarial funding of its pensions.

S&P Global Ratings dropped Los Angeles' ratings and assigned a negative outlook, citing a "weakening financial position and an emerging structural imbalance."

The city of Los Angeles and its Department of Water and Power face Palisades Fire-driven lawsuits from some 776 plaintiffs, according to the offering document.

Moody's Ratings cut the issuer rating for the District of Columbia to Aa1 with a negative outlook, which the city CFO blames on federal workforce reductions and weakness in the commercial real estate market.

KBRA said the negative outlook reflects declining coverage of maximum annual debt service coverage from both a lower tax rate and declining rum sales.

KBRA revised the outlook to negative on the Chicago Transit Authority's AA-minus rated TIFIA bonds, backed with farebox and operations revenue.

A new S&P upgrade and one last year from Moody's burnish the Colorado Statewide Bridge and Tunnel Enterprise ahead of a $212 million revenue bond deal.

The S&P issuer rating upgrade marks the second for Oklahoma since September when Moody's raised its rating a notch to Aa1.

Colleges and universities have already begun hiring freezes and spending cuts, dialing back research and rescinding offers to Ph.D. candidates, the rating agency said.

The rating agency cited a tax cut package enacted by the state last year and uncertainty over federal policies for the outlook revision to stable from positive.

S&P Global Ratings analysts said they reviewed their entire rated California public utility portfolio before giving seven negative outlooks.

The rating agency cited the state's ample reserves, robust natural resource base and critical role in U.S. strategic interests.

Analysts Chris Collins and Melissa Nicandri were among the 64 passengers and crew aboard American Airlines flight 5342.