Markets

Northwestern was assigned a negative outlook on one of its triple-A ratings.

Issuance of municipal bonds fell 33.9% to $26.7 billion compared to $40.4 billion in September 2016.

Keys Energy Services estimates $32 million in damages from Hurricane Irma, and FEMA will cover most of it.

Top-shelf municipal bonds were unchanged at midday, according to traders, who are looking ahead to next week’s smaller-than average $4.97 billion new issue calendar.

The rating agency cited the backing of the authority's transportation revenue bonds by a gross lien on operating revenues.

The firm, which returned this year to public finance, hired five bankers in Texas, Florida, Illinois and New York.

The University of Michigan's final September consumer sentiment index reading was 95.1, compared to the preliminary September 95.3, and the final August 96.8, according to market sources.

The Chicago Business Barometer rose to 65.2 in September from 58.9 in August, the ISM-Chicago reported on Friday. It was the highest level in three months and the second highest in over three years.

Municipal bond traders on Friday are looking ahead to next week’s new issue calendar, which will be headlined by deals from a New York State issuer.

Personal income rose an expected 0.2% in August while a weaker-than-expected 0.1% rise in the core PCE price index cut the year on year rate for core inflation growth to 1.3% from 1.4% in July, the Commerce Department reported Friday.