SIFMA

Muni issuance will pick up next year, said George Friedlander, managing partner of Court Street Research Group.

An unsealed whistleblower lawsuit accuses eight Wall Street and regional banks and broker-dealers that served as remarketing agents of fraud and collusion in resetting rates for variable rate demand obligations issued by state and local issuers in Illinois.

The MSRB said the paper was prompted in part by the tax law's prohibition on advance refundings and the fact that interest rate swap rules intersect with the board's rules for municipal advisors.

Some worry that MSRB's late release of an updated set of FAQs on markup disclosure requirements will hinder their meeting the May 14 effective date.

Groups representing both dealer and non-dealer muni advisors are opposed to the MSRB's new rule and rule changes on advertising because they are too dissimilar from FINRA's rules and could be confusing.

SIFMA is urging the MSRB to be more forthcoming in providing interpretive guidance to dealers and other regulated entities.

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood an 116 groups call for a bipartisan, multi-level governmental approach to infrastructure that includes municipal bonds.

The threat of tax reform loomed large for firms responding to SIFMA's Municipal Issuance Survey.

The SEC has approved a change to increase the level of information the MSRB collects about certain muni fund securities.

Dealers are pleased that the MSRB has expanded the exemption to its CUSIP proposal.

Muni market participants may not be ready in time to implement a pending markup disclosure rule on which regulators place huge importance.

Panelists at SIFMA's annual meeting see the federal government making changes to grant programs and PABs for infrastructure.

Market groups and individuals asked the SEC to reject parts of an MSRB rule intended to improve transparency of dealers' private placements.

The tax reform plan does not mention munis and market participants would rather see it in writing than have assurances from the White House.

Not everyone appreciates the MSRB's disclosure warnings.

Rules implementing the Volcker Rule should exempt the traditional TOB structure, SIFMA says.

Market participants are unsure what the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board is after.

The rules would be overly burdensome, restrictive, costly, and would hamper infrastructure projects.

Replacing LIBOR will raise economic and tax issues for many floating rate munis and swaps.

Muni market participants will have more time to prepare for customer account transfer changes.