News and Information from Bond Buyer

The amount of outstanding variable rate demand bonds rose to $142.4 billion in the second quarter of this year, a gain over $142.2 billion in the first quarter and the end of a decade-long decline, Moody’s Investor Service said in a recent report.

Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell said the removal of “accommodative” from the post-Federal Open Market Committee meeting statement doesn’t “represent a change in policy.”

Linda Howard was tapped for her broad financial experience, said the Orlando-based wholesale power agency.

While the impacts to the Carolinas are still being determined, one expert says the lessons learned from catastrophic events like Florence can be mitigated.

With the Federal Open Market Committee meeting, activity was at a minimum in the municipal bond market on Wednesday.

Leaders in the world of finance joined with governments and health organizations on Wednesday to launch The Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge.

The authority, one of the largest municipal bond issuers, will use the new benchmark to reduce its exposure to Libor, which is slated to sunset.

Incoming NABL president Dee Wisor wants the group to be more active in Washington.

In an aging nation, Texas is showing the strongest demographic trends, according to S&P Global Ratings.

House Republicans will vote Thursday or Friday on tax reform legislation that would make permanent the $10,000 federal cap on the deduction for state and local taxes and individual income tax rate reductions.

The MSRB is hoping that new guidelines will encourage more conversation between its staff and the broker-dealers and muni advisors it regulates.

County Executive Steve Bellone unveiled a budget proposal that he says would eliminate its structural deficit with recurring revenue streams.

One proposal is to use the Chicago water system to fund the Windy City’s public employee pension plans.

Wisconsin sold the biggest deal of the week as investors remained wary ahead of the FOMC meeting.

State officials have lost two rounds in a lawsuit that says California improperly diverted money intended for homeowners to make payments on housing bonds.

Bonds will help finance two downtown Indianapolis projects; the developer plans to use tax revenue generated by the projects to pay off the debt.

Oglethorpe Power said it will only support completing the new reactors at Plant Vogtle if the other three co-owners agree to a cap on future costs.

Candidates in the mayoral and governor's races acknowledge daunting pension burdens without offering concrete solutions.

The biggest deal of the week came to market on Tuesday as Wiscon sold general obligation bonds.

Texas service sector activity continued to expand in September, according the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.