Southeast

Stifel Financial Corp. reportedly is in talks to buy Sterne Agee Group Inc., continuing an acquisition spree that's vaulted the St. Louis based brokerage and investment banking firm into the top 10 among municipal underwriters.

Litigants appealing Jefferson County's bankruptcy case want Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley and Attorney General Luther Strange to join their appeal.

Moody's Investors Service has warned that Louisiana's growing budget problems will pressure finances at the state's public universities.

As taxable fixed-income rates remain near all-time lows, Kentucky is one of several states eyeing pension obligation bonds to deal with unfunded retirement obligations.

Raymond James has hired banker Todd Barnes to join the firm's public finance group in Atlanta, and to focus on issuers in Georgia and South Carolina.

A long-running debate over how to cure Jacksonville's $1.62 billion police and fire pension liability has sparked a call for an audit and state investigation into the finances of Florida's largest city.

Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's both revised Louisiana's outlook to negative on Friday citing the state's growing structural budget imbalance. The changes come ahead of an upcoming $225 million general obligation refunding deal.

Legislation aimed at allowing Georgia to take over public schools failing to achieve passing grades has been filed. The measure would require a voter-approved constitutional amendment.

Miami-Dade County plans to use a public-private partnership to build and repair its court and jail facilities. Qualifications from firms will be sought soon.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott's lack of board appointments to the Florida Development Finance Corp. calls into question its authority to issue bonds, including billions in debt it has agreed to issue.