News and Information from Bond Buyer

MASSACHUSETTS

ALABAMA

Day Indicator Last Report Forecast Monday Chicago PMI Jan.: 55.6 Feb.: 53.0 Monday Pending Home Sales Dec.: +0.1% Jan.: +0.5% Tuesday Construction Spending Dec.: +0.1% Jan.: +0.4% Tuesday ISM Manufacturing Jan.: 48.2 Feb.: 48.6 Wednesday ADP Employment Report Jan.: +205,000 Feb.: +190,000 Thursday Initial Claims 2/20: 272,000 2/27: 271,000 Thursday Continuing Claims 2/13: 2.253M 2/20: 2.255M Thursday Productivity Q3: +2.1% Q4: -3.3% Thursday Unit Labor Costs Q3: +1.9% Q4: +4.7% Thursday Factory Orders Dec.: -2.9% Jan.: +2.0% Thursday ISM Non-Manufacturing Jan.: 53.5 Feb.: 54.0 Friday International Trade Dec.: -$43.4B Jan.: -$43.5B Friday Nonfarm Payrolls Jan.: +151,000 Feb.: +193,000 Friday Private Payrolls Jan.: +158,000 Feb.: +190,000 Friday Unemployment Rate Jan.: 4.9% Feb.: 4.9% Friday Avg Hourly Earnings Jan.: +0.5% Feb.: +0.2% Friday Avg Work Week Jan.: 34.6 Feb.: 34.6

Government

The retired judge who presided over the city of Detroit’s Chapter 9 bankruptcy case has been called upon to play a key role in the restructuring of Detroit Public Schools.

The Kentucky State Property and Buildings Commission plans to price $663.5 million of new and advance refunding bonds Tuesday, starting with a retail order period.

Municipal bonds ended decidedly weaker on Friday with traders looking ahead to the biggest new issue slate in almost a year as more than $10 billion of supply is set to sweep over the market. Muni volume for the upcoming week is estimated by Ipreo at $10.10 billion. The last time the market saw a bigger slate of sales was in the week of March 9, 2015.

As two new bankers take their seat on Fifth Third Securities’ public finance team, the firm says it’s on the lookout to add to its ranks.

A sharp decline in cash sent the Mission, Texas, Hospital District's rating further into junk territory, according to Moody's Investors Service.

Assured Guaranty Ltd., the biggest municipal bond insurer, reported declines in fourth quarter and 2015 net income, even as it increased operating income, adjusted book value and business production in the face of a challenging interest rate environment.

The Los Angeles Unified School District brings the largest deal of the muni primary market's busiest week in almost a year with the help of two freshly minted, high-level ratings.

Several industry groups are telling the Securities and Exchange Commission they support Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board changes that would shift the board members’ term limits to four years from three.

Sacramento, Calif.’s creation of a long-term plan to fund its retiree healthcare benefits has put the city on a more sustainable trajectory, Moody's Investors Service said Friday.

A new state legislative document showing that New Jersey can take control of Atlantic City finances under existing law highlights a plan that would prove more beneficial than a takeover bill lawmakers are weighing, Mayor Donald Guardian said.

A 2.2 cents per gallon cut in California’s gasoline tax will reduce funding for road and transit projects.

If policymakers from the major economies worked together, it would make monetary policy more effective, Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainard said Friday.

Top-rated municipal bonds were weaker at mid-session as traders looked ahead to the biggest supply slate of 2016. The last time the market saw a bigger slate of sales was in the week of March 9, 2015, when $12.44 billion of bonds were sold.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio's proposed streetcar line through Queens and Brooklyn waterfront neighborhoods has drawn some skepticism about its funding plan.

The Treasury Department auctioned $28 billion of seven-year notes, with a 1 1/2% coupon and a 1.568% high yield, a price of 99.550856.

Forward guidance is most effective if kept simple and explicit, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President and CEO John C. Williams said Friday.