Markets

A recent Moody's downgrade of the Philadelphia School District to Ba3 was another indication of the district's growing financial problems, but a state intercept program insulates holders of the district's $3.1 billion in bonds from those troubles.

The terms of a loan turned the outlook on Florida Gulf Coast University's debt to negative, and could result in a rating downgrade of two notches, Standard & Poor's said.

Fitch Ratings said Detroit's offer to holders of $5.2 billion of water and sewer bonds to tender their debt as part of a bankruptcy settlement does not constitute a distressed debt exchange, an analysis that could bode well for ratings the planned refinancing of the debt.

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday withdrew its general obligation bond rating on Tehachapi Valley Healthcare District, Calif. citing a lack of financial information for fiscal 2013, affecting $63 million in debt.

California's new law to require issuers to disclose bank loans will likely result in lower borrowing costs, according to a report from Municipal Market Advisors.

Volume will slip from last week, remaining lighter than usual, as an estimated $4.2 billion makes its way to market.

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority put off a day of reckoning in an agreement with creditors announced Thursday, but still may be headed for what would be the largest municipal bond default in U.S. history.

Though New Jersey and California are on starkly different credit paths, municipal analysts said their recent trading patterns suggest equally-strong demand.

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority announced agreements with insurers and bondholders controlling more than 60% of PREPA's outstanding bonds to amend existing bond documents to provide PREPA with liquidity and for PREPA to appoint a chief restructuring officer.

The Bond Buyer's muni bond indexes strengthened in the week ending Aug. 14.