News and Information from Bond Buyer

Action in the primary muni market has been slow and low in 2018 and yields have spiked recently, with investors increasingly moving to the sidelines to wait for calmer waters. However, some view this as a buying opportunity and are urging others to jump in with them.

Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe will establish its second-largest public finance team in Houston with more than two dozen hires from Andrews Kurth Kenyon.

Faced with yet another week of low volume and high volatility, muni market participants hope for improvement in February.

Syncora will pay $350 million under the agreement, which doesn't include any Puerto Rico exposure.

The Conference Board's Employment Trends Index (ETI) rose to 106.93 in January from a downwardly revised 106.59 in December.

The U.S. services sector expanded in January as the non-manufacturing business activity composite index was 59.9.

The federal tax overhaul and belt-tightening at the state level cast a pall of uncertainty over the $88.67 billion preliminary fiscal 2019 budget plan.

Some bond lawyers don't see a replacement for tax credit bonds, which were banned after last year by the new tax law.

Although market conditions are not pristine, with rising yields and little primary action, market participants expressed reason to believe the first week of February will be a positive one.

The Federal Reserve is not behind the curve and will not overreact to economic growth, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President John Williams said Friday.

Pensions in some California cities to grow to 21.5% of general fund in seven years.

All but one of the remaining defendants in the Securities and Exchange Commission's case against Ramapo, N.Y., have agreed to settlement terms, according to court documents.

Chicago says no taxpayer funds will go to build a proposed express line between downtown and O'Hare.

Ronald Schwartz of Seix Investment Advisors resolves to upgrade credit, keep duration neutral to shorter, and remain selective about investments.

Identical bipartisan bills introduced in the House and Senate would provide a new source of funding for state revolving fund programs that would enable states to expand assistance to communities for water infrastructure projects.

The Vermont Municipal Bond Bank is offering retail investors bonds that can be purchased in denominations as low as $1,000.

Dewey, a former managing director at Citi’s municipal bond division, instinctively understands the needs of some of the largest investors in the muni market, according to BAM CEO Sean McCarthy.

Municipal bond yields are rising as buyers look ahead to another smaller-than-average slate of sales heading to market next week.

HJ Sims has named Melissa Messina as a senior vice president of investment banking in the Rockville, Md.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's plan has drawn strong positive and negative reactions.