Markets

Municipal bonds were stronger at midday as the state of California competitively sold $636 million of general obligation bonds on Wednesday.

Citing good management with "strong" financial policies and practices, a major agency recently reaffirmed the city's AAA bond rating, which lets Newburyport buy bonds at lower interest rates.

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. in Florida posted a $27 million loss in 2016 stemming from what it calls abusive “assignment of benefit” claims and litigation, which are being reviewed by the Legislature.

After a busy day Tuesday when billions of dollars of new issuance flooded the market, municipal bond traders are set for the last big issuance of the week.

U.S. import prices fell by 0.2% in March on a 3.8% drop in fuel prices, according to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Wednesday. Import prices were 0.2% higher excluding petroleum or all fuels.

The U.S. Olympic Museum could break ground in the next several weeks after a Colorado Springs redevelopment agency agreed Friday to issue bonds that will provide a crucial piece of funding for the $75 million project.

The tourism, hospitality and culinary arts program at St. Philip's College has a reputation that precedes it -- graduates go on to work for top restaurants in a city with a respected food scene.

The Pamelia Town Council Monday approved a $1 million bond to repair its water tower, as it continued discussions of a multi-million dollar plan to expand municipal water to new areas of the town.

Top-shelf municipal bond yields fell as much as four basis points as the market got a big dose of issuance, with negotiated and competitive offerings from issuers in New York, Washington, Ohio and Maryland.

Identical bills pending in the Senate and House would expand the issuance of small manufacturing bonds