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Municipal bonds finished stronger on Friday, according to traders, as yields on some top-shelf maturities fell by as much as five basis points. The market digested the week’s hefty volume as it looks ahead to the upcoming week’s $2.1 billion of new issues. Next week’s calendar consists of about $1.5 billion of negotiated deals and over $564 million of competitive sales.

Tax regulators are open to the idea of writing special issue price rules that would treat bonds sold in competitive deals differently than those sold in negotiated deals, Treasury Department associate tax counsel John Cross told issuers meeting here on Friday.

The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District board signed off on a rate hike and sending a $900 million bonding authorization to voters on the April 5 ballot.

The way Louisiana addressed a $487 million mid-year deficit with one-time budget cuts exacerbates credit pressures facing the state, Moody's Investors Service said.

Investment banking firms have until Dec. 22 to submit qualifications to Wisconsin as the state prepares new underwriting and dealer pools for negotiated sales under its various bond programs.

The Oregon Investment Council is shifting the state's investment strategy to include more infrastructure and renewable energy investments and to reduce its exposure to stock market volatility

Ferguson, Missouri’s rating has sunk further into speculative grade territory as the city’s struggle to recover from a controversial 2014 police shooting continues to batter its once healthy balance sheet.

In the week ended Dec. 10, the weekly average yield to maturity of the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index fell to 4.26% from 4.27% in the previous week. The BB40 Index is based on the price of 40 long-term bonds.

Georgia expects to save $421 million reconstructing a critical intersection in Atlanta by entering into a public-private partnership with North Perimeter Contractors.

Consumers' view of inflation was at its lowest level in November, according to the Survey of Consumer Expectations, released by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on Friday.

Fitch Ratings said it maintained the Rating Watch Negative on the CC rating for the following Commonwealth of Puerto Rico debt: commonwealth of Puerto Rico GO bonds; Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) power revenue bonds; Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) senior lien revenue bonds; Puerto Rico Sales Tax Financing Corporation (COFINA) senior lien sales tax revenue bonds and first subordinate lien sales tax revenue bonds; Employees Retirement System of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (ERS) pension funding bonds; Puerto Rico Public Buildings Authority (PBA) government facilities revenue bonds guaranteed by the Commonwealth and rated by Fitch; and PRASA Commonwealth guaranty revenue bonds.

The filing by Republican lawmakers of two bills in the U.S. Congress that could assist Puerto Rico during its current financial crisis does not result in a change to Standard & Poor's Ratings Services' credit rating or outlook (CC/Negative) due what it sees as the uncertain chances for enactment of these bills.

Municipal bonds were stronger at mid-session, according to traders, as yields on some top-shelf maturities weakened by as much as five basis points.

Municipal market groups are generally supporting a Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board proposal to speed up settlements of muni transactions to two from three days.

Members of the Government Finance Officers Association raised concerns with the Securities and Exchange Commission's proposed rule changes that would require open-end mutual funds and exchange traded funds to take steps to manage liquidity risks so they could handle redemptions during periods of financial stress.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher is making an impassioned pitch for more funding while challenging the system from within.

Four of the five Puerto Rico authorities whose revenues were diverted to pay Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico notes on Dec. 1 are expected to make their own bond payments on Jan. 1. The exception may be the Puerto Rico Infrastructure Finance Authority.

Municipal bonds were stronger in early action, according to traders, with yields on some maturities weakening by as much as five basis points.