Midwest

The hiring of an underwriter moves the city closer to a debt restructuring that is called for in a legal agreement with holders of defaulted bonds.

Federal relief and rising revenues drew a change in outlook from Moody's to stable from negative, but Moody's remains the only agency to rate Chicago at junk.

Michael Pagano, a "dean" of government finance with a national reputation, will hand the mantle as director of the university's Government Finance Research Center next month to Deborah Carroll.

FirstEnergy will pay $230 million under a deferred prosecution agreement with federal authorities in the alleged pay-to-play that benefitted its former subsidiary FirstEnergy Solutions.

The Great Lakes Senior Living Communities is working with holders of its $380 million of debt to raise funds for needed capital expenses

SWS Capital Management, which manages the Clear Vision Impact Fund, has hired a Detroit-based analyst/investor.

The first motor fuel tax increase in decades could eventually raise more than $450 million annually.

The prominent Chicago health system's refunding will simplify its debt structure, cut interest rates, and provide longer-term fixed financing.

Chicago is looking for a financial advisor to help it assess casino development proposals due next month.

Spreads for the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which manages Chicago's convention center, narrowed in an $811 million deal that priced Thursday.