Markets

After more than a decade of ratings deterioration, the lowest-rated state won an upgrade Tuesday, taking its Moody's rating to Baa2.

A majority of the week's largest new issues priced at yields mostly at or around benchmarks as secondary trading did little to move scales. In economic data released Tuesday, the June consumer confidence index climbed, suggesting spending will rebound.

State Treasurer Shawn Wooden discusses the state's across-the-board bond rating upgrades, its immediate challenges and initiatives such as "CT Baby Bonds." Paul Burton hosts. (19 minutes)

With various Federal Reserve officials airing their views since the Federal Open Market Committee’s latest meeting, it may take a while for members to reach agreement on tapering, a boon for municipals.

Making it a summer Friday, munis were quiet. Participants contemplate why the market underperformed taxables to the degree they did when fundamentals are objectively strong and little has changed since before the FOMC.

State and local government groups want the focus on reinstating tax-exempt advance refunding bonds and expanding the current financing tools.

Over the years, Assured Guaranty has been open to guaranteeing in the U.K. and most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand and through AGM in the U.S. they cover certain transactions within the Latin American region.

The final new issues of the week close with some bumps in repricings while the secondary was quiet.

Brightline Holdings will wait until 2022 to try again to finance a passenger train to Las Vegas from Southern California with tax-exempt bonds.

Fitch revised Illinois' outlook to positive but the rating remains BBB-minus, the lowest investment grade.