Markets

Manufacturers report expansion at a faster pace in January, and Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia Report on Business respondents said price indexes continued trending lower.

The primary municipal market chugged along on Wednesday, as the two biggest deals of the week priced.

Completion of a replacement Tappan Zee Bridge with debt levels kept in check triggered upgrades to New York State Thruway Authority bonds.

Capital finance director David Erdman says VRDO fraud lawsuits piqued his interest in Clarity's platform.

The still-strong U.S. economy showed signs of slowing in recent weeks amid declining optimism, though most regions continued to show modest to moderate growth, a Federal Reserve survey showed.

While the municipal bond insurers suffered from the curtailment of issuance under newly effective U.S. tax laws, the insurance penetration rate ticked higher.

The top municipal FA's accounted for 20% less volume, as their par amount of deals handled dropped to $273.869 billion from $345.829 billion. The number of transactions fell by 1,199.

The top muni bond counsel firms accounted for $318.67 billion in 8,474 transactions in 2018, down from $407.47 billion in 10,519 deals the year before.

The action continued in the municipal bond primary market, as the two biggest deals of the week were priced.

Builders’ confidence in the market for new single-family homes grew as the National Association of Home Builders' housing market index rebounded to 58 in January from 56 in December.