Puerto Rico

A federal interagency task force, created to advise the Puerto Rican government on fiscal and economic matters, will meet with Puerto Rican officials next month, but will not provide any additional financial assistance, knowledgeable sources said.

Puerto Rico's pension funded ratio of 8.4% for 2012 was far worse than any of the 50 states, Morningstar, Inc., said in pension reports for 23 individual states and the territory it released on Wednesday.

The Puerto Rico legislature has voted to postpone a cut in the island's sales tax rate to 6.5% from 7%.

The Puerto Rico Treasury is taking a variety of steps to crack down on tax evasion, including hiring 195 professionals to crack down on the practice.

Fitch Ratings placed the BBB-minus rating of Puerto Rico's general obligation bonds on rating watch negative, citing in part concerns about market access.

The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority’s first quarter net revenues were 17% higher than what had been projected.

Puerto Rico's net tax revenues surged by 44.1% in October compared to October 2012.

For Puerto Rico allaying fears of a default has become as important as fixing its finances as secondary market yields soar for the commonwealth's bonds.

Oppenheimer Funds, manager of 12 of the top 14 funds in exposure to Puerto Rico, has suffered the biggest outflows in the industry over the past six weeks as investors continued to shy away from the commonwealth’s debt after yields surged.

The inability of the United States Congress to agree on a budget is delaying a possible plebiscite on Puerto Rico's status.