Midwest

The Illinois Supreme Court ordered that four pending lawsuits challenging the legality of the state's pension overhaul be consolidated and handled by the Sangamon County Circuit Court.

Fresh from raising $1 billion from a general obligation sale last month, Illinois returns to the market next week with a $402 million taxable revenue-backed issue as the state wrestles with an expiring income tax increase.

Detroit is treating the bonds issued by the Downtown Development Authority as secured, though the DDA itself is expected to take a 80% haircut on an outstanding loan, Fitch Ratings noted in a comment.

Indiana tapped a shortlist of four private teams to compete to work on the state's largest public-private partnership, a 47-mile toll highway linking the state to Illinois.

Fitch Ratings downgraded more than $4 billion of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department debt to junk bond status Friday afternoon.

Moody's Investors Service revised its outlook on HealthEast Care System's junk bond rating to positive, signaling the Minnesota system could see a return to investment grade territory if its fiscal performance remains on track.

Missouri House members proposed an alternative bonding proposal to one announced by Gov. Jay Nixon to finance a new state psychiatric facility.

Detroit said creditors should have until June 9 to review and vote on the controversial debt plan it filed last week in bankruptcy court.

All of Detroit's major creditors, including bond insurers, Friday asked the federal judge overseeing Detroit's bankruptcy case to delay the fast-track schedule by at least a month or more.

Minnesota raised its projected budget surplus by $400 million to $1.2 billion on Friday providing the state's Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party leaders with room to spend more, bolster reserves and trim taxes in the new legislative session.