News and Information from Bond Buyer

The weekly average yield to maturity of The Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index, which is based on 40 long-term bond prices, was one basis point lower to 4.14% from 4.15% for the previous week.

California Public Employees' Retirement System chief executive officer Anne Stausboll announced Thursday that she will retire as the head of the nation's largest public pension fund.

California Gov. Jerry Brown wants the state’s budget surplus spent on roads and bridges and to pay down public employee retirement liabilities.

The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund’s long-time chief Jack Nicholson plans to oversee the issuance of $1.2 billion of taxable bonds in February before retiring.

The political bickering that’s driven the almost seven-month-old budget impasse in Illinois spilled into the public pension arena.

Prices of top-rated municipal bonds closed weaker on Thursday, traders said, as yields were higher by as many as three basis points in some maturities. The primary saw the last of the week’s large deals come to market, with issuers from New York, Georgia and Texas leading the way.

Dealer and advisor groups want revisions to a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board proposal to extend pay-to-play prohibitions to non-dealer municipal advisors.

Financial Guaranty Insurance Co. filed a suit against Puerto Rico Gov. Alejandro García Padilla and members of his government, the latest challenge over their diversion of revenues from Puerto Rico authority bonds.

Los Angeles City Council contemplating rate increases and governance changes at its Department of Water and Power simultaneously.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley asked lawmakers to raise the state's gasoline tax and cut the income tax rate.

A continuing decline in oil prices will strain the budgets of five producing states to varying degrees, according to Standard & Poor's.

The Treasury Department sold $15 billion of inflation-indexed 10-year TIPs at a 0.725% high yield, an adjusted price of 98.946468, with a 5/8% coupon.

Pending pension litigation will play a key role in determining whether New Jersey’s low credit rating improves or worsens in 2016, according Moody’s Investors Service.

Prices of top-rated municipal bonds were weaker at mid-session, traders said, as the primary was seeing the last of the week's large deals come to market.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced a facelift for the Harrisburg Transportation Center and its surrounding areas, using up to $60 million in state and federal funds.

Wilmington Trust hired Joy Holloway as a corporate trust relationship manager in the global capital markets division and will be based in the company's Richmond, Va., office.

Local government lobbyists think California may have a window to pass transportation funding legislation this spring.

Robert W. Baird & Co. said Steve Booth, the firm’s president since 2014, assumed the additional title of chief executive officer effective Jan. 1, 2016, as part of a multiple-year transition plan.

Mayer Brown LLP has promoted Stephanie Wagner to partner in the firm’s Infrastructure group.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $15 billion two-year floating rate notes on Wednesday, Jan. 27.