Markets

The weekly average yield to maturity of The Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index, which is based on 40 long-term bond prices, was unchanged from the previous week at 4.12%, for the week ended Feb. 5.

Airport management's flexibility and experience are key factors in rating a facility's general revenue bonds, Kroll says.

Yield-hungry investors should be wary of indulging in triple-B bonds in the current municipal market when looking for extra yield as they are fully valued relative to high-quality bonds, according to Dorian Jamison, municipal analyst at Wells Fargo Advisors.

Issuance is expected to approach $9 billion in the coming week as February brings a $1 billion Pennsylvania competitive general obligation offering that was postponed because of the Jan. 26-27 blizzard in the Northeast.

For the week ended Jan. 29, the weekly average yield to maturity of the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index, which is based on 40 long-term bond prices, dropped one basis point to 4.12% from 4.13%.

Lumesis said it's forming a strategic partnership with Bitvore Corp. to provide the market with a single platform that eases access to up-to-date data on material changes in municipal bond issuers and obligors.

The trustee for the Santa Rosa Bay Bridge Authority's defaulted bonds wants a toll increase for the Garcon Point Bridge but north Florida residents are opposing the plan.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded healthcare giant Catholic Health Inititiatives to A2 from A1 after a year of declining operating performance.

Some seldom seen issuers are returning to the municipal bond market in the upcoming week as sales slip slightly. Total new issue volume is estimated at $6.138 billion for the week, according to Ipreo and The Bond Buyer. This is down from the $6.992 billion of new supply that priced last week, Thomson Reuters said.

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