Massachusetts

"Let's face it, the state of our trains, roads, and bridges today is unacceptable," Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in her inaugural address.

It's not just the "right" thing to do; it's good for business, say the Freda Johnson Award winners, Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and Ballard Spahr's Emilie Ninan. They discuss how diversifying the industry is key to growth and success. Lynne Funk hosts. 

Tax-exempt munis have now regained late September levels, and November's rally has eclipsed October's selloff, MMA notes in a weekly report.

Triple-A curves were a touch firmer in spots as secondary trading took a backseat to the larger primary activity with Connecticut and Massachusetts pricing general obligation bonds, a large CommonSpirit healthcare and several competitive issues led by Rhode Island GOs.

"Despite a pick-up in volatility in the rates market, municipals have been performing relatively well in October," according to Barclays PLC.

The rating outlook boost to positive from stable follows recent progress on steadying reserve rates and paying down debt, S&P said.

The October event will feature private and public sector experts on education, community development and ESG.

Massachusetts Treasurer Deborah Goldberg talks about the Bay State's economic recovery, the largest ESG bond deal ever done in the municipal space and special state initiatives such as promoting diversity and inclusion and creating a Baby Bond taskforce. Chip Barnett and Thomas Nocera host. (22 minutes).

"Demand for low-duration tax-exempts has been so strong that short maturity benchmark yields are now lower than the after-tax yields for comparably rated benchmark taxable muni and corporate bonds," said CreditSights strategists Pat Luby and John Ceffalio.

The Northeast's issuers sold $49.69 billion of municipal bonds in the first half of 2022, down more than 18% year-over-year.

Massachusetts had temporarily delayed the $2.7 billion sale as state lawmakers debated additional funding for the state's unemployment trust fund.

Massachusetts delayed the sale of $2.7 billion of taxable special obligation revenue bonds as state lawmakers consider a bill for their unemployment trust fund.

Proceeds of the taxable business-tax backed special obligation revenue bonds will pay down federal debt the state accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic for unemployment insurance costs.

Hosting a World Cup game brings a variety of economic benefits to cities and counties, from increased spending by fans and tourists from around the world to burnishing a region's reputation.

The legislation proposed by Gov. Charlie Baker includes more than $1.3 billion in capital bond authorizations.

Triple-A benchmark curves were bumped two to five basis points outside of five years as markets calmed to start February.

Katherine Craven, chief administrative and financial officer at Babson College, discusses the school's business niche, its bond-rating upgrades amid negative outlooks for higher education overall, and the outlook for the sector in the face of the pandemic. Paul Burton hosts. (Recorded on Dec. 23, 2021 and is 25 minutes long.)

The pandemic, and now the spreading of the omicron variant, exposed nationwide disparities in Internet access with the transition to remote work and learning.

Quincy officials say they are getting out front of a state directive for full local funding by 2037.

The sale is Babson’s first since 2017. The business-and-entrepreneurial themed private college, which opened in 1919, has about $150 million of outstanding bonds, according to its presentation to Moody’s.