News and Information from Bond Buyer

Pending home sales increased 0.1% to an index reading of 106.8 in December, after a revised 1.1% decrease to 106.7 in November, according to a report released Thursday by the National Association of Realtors.

U.S. durable goods orders slumped 5.1% in December, while excluding transportation orders were down 1.2%, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Initial jobless claims fell 16,000 to 278,000 in the week ended Jan. 23, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Jan. 28, 2016 Southeast: Plain/Insured GO Yield Curve* State Ratings One-Year Five-Year 10-Year 30-Year Alabama Aa1/AA/AA+ 0.47 1.11 1.84 2.85 Florida Aa1/AAA/AAA 0.49 1.14 1.9 2.87 Georgia Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.45 1.05 1.75 2.74 Kentucky Aa2/A+/AA+ 0.49 1.19 1.95 2.97 Louisiana Aa2/AA/AA 0.53 1.3 2.15 3.15 Mississippi Aa2/AA/AA+ 0.48 1.18 1.97 3 North Carolina Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.45 1.05 1.75 2.75 South Carolina Aaa/AA+/AAA 0.45 1.07 1.78 2.78 Tennessee Aaa/AA+/AAA 0.45 1.05 1.78 2.75 Virginia Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.44 1.04 1.74 2.73 West Virginia Aa1/AA/AA+ 0.46 1.12 1.87 2.89

1/27/2016 1/20/2016 State Iss Amount ($000s) Iss Amount ($000s) Chg in Amt ($000s) Alabama 1 $2,485 2 $24,845 -22,360 Florida 2 165,000 4 304,675 -139,675 Georgia 0 0 3 209,415 -209,415 Kentucky 10 207,615 11 282,750 -75,135 Louisiana 5 40,960 2 15,000 25,960 Mississippi 1 1,900 3 91,430 -89,530 North Carolina 0 0 1 6,900 -6,900 South Carolina 0 0 1 8,615 -8,615 Tennessee 0 0 1 11,040 -11,040 Virginia 4 419,820 3 636,465 -216,645 West Virginia 0 0 0 0 0

Thursday, January 28 Issuer St Description Amount

Thursday, January 28 Issuer St Description Amount

Wednesday, February 3 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of January 25 Issuer St Description Amount

ILLINOIS

ALABAMA

Chicago Public Schools yanked a $875 million general obligation bond sale from Wednesday’s negotiated offerings, moving it to the day-to-day calendar; district officials said the move will give investors more time to digest the deal, but some observers said it illustrates the district’s deep distress.

Government

Gov. Matt Bevin rejected the idea of issuing pension obligation bonds as he released his first budget, saying the two-year plan does not raise taxes but impose spending cuts in order to pay more for the state’s pensions.

The Chicago Public Schools on Wednesday postponed its $875 million bond deal and placed it on the day-to-day negotiated calendar. In the secondary market, top-quality municipal bonds finished mixed, with yields steady to slightly higher.

A lawsuit against the new basketball arena project in downtown Sacramento will end up costing the city about $27 million in extra debt service, according to city treasurer Russ Fehr.

Unused sick time among Greater Boston transit employees amounts to a perk of up to $49 million, according to a Pioneer Institute report.

Three months after its board approved a five-year, $29 billion capital program request, officials from New York's MTA are still fielding questions about the uncertainty of funding.

Indiana’s Purdue University officials believe its newly minted second AAA rating will spell savings on its upcoming bond sale.

Missouri’s transportation chief warned lawmakers that state lacks funds to rebuild aging roads and bridges.