News and Information from Bond Buyer

Municipal bond traders will be watching for more supply today as two big deals, one each in the negotiated and competitive sector, are set for sale.

Chicago's decision to delay and rejigger $800 million of borrowing stems from the city's desire for more control over pricing scales following the city's downgrade to junk, sources said.

Wednesday, May 20 Issuer St Description Amount

Wednesday, May 20 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of May 18 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of May 18 Issuer St Description Amount

May. 20, 2015 Midwest: Plain/Insured GO Yield Curve* State Ratings One-Year Five-Year 10-Year 30-Year Illinois A3/A+/A+ 1.07 2.83 3.84 4.87 Indiana Aaa/AAA/AA+ 0.22 1.49 2.4 3.37 Iowa Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.22 1.5 2.4 3.37 Michigan Aa2/AA/AA 0.28 1.6 2.56 3.55 Minnesota Aa1/AA+/AA+ 0.22 1.47 2.33 3.28 Missouri Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.22 1.44 2.31 3.28 Nebraska NR/AAA/NR 0.22 1.51 2.45 3.45 North Dakota Aa1/AA+/NR 0.23 1.56 2.47 3.45 Ohio Aa1/AA+/AA+ 0.25 1.53 2.44 3.43 South Dakota NR/AA+/AA+ 0.26 1.55 2.48 3.47 Wisconsin Aa2/AA/AA 0.26 1.56 2.48 3.47

ARKANSAS

ILLINOIS

5/19/2015 5/12/2015 State # Iss Amount ($000) # Iss Amount ($000) Chg in Amt ($000s) Illinois 9 $112,895 6 $206,765 $93,870 Indiana 16 170,690 15 129,360 41,330 Iowa 6 77,320 10 110,160 -32,840 Michigan 3 41,045 16 458,335 -417,290 Minnesota 29 641,875 31 334,697 307,178 Missouri 10 642,228 7 576,980 65,248 Nebraska 0 0 0 0 0 North Dakota 4 60,500 2 10,785 49,715 Ohio 9 153,085 5 158,575 -5,490 South Dakota 0 0 1 11,500 -11,500 Wisconsin 26 267,450 28 301,665 -34,215

Government

El Paso Children’s Hospital filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 19 after negotiations over a debt to county-owned University Medical Center fell apart, officials said.

Prices of top-shelf municipal bonds finished lower on Tuesday, according to traders, with yields of some maturities falling by as much as three basis points.

Municipal market trading volume fell 13% from the first quarter of last year, according to statistics released by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board on Tuesday.

DBRS Ltd., the Canadian credit rating agency, made its first full foray into the U.S. market last week when it rated the North Carolina Department of Transportation's $100 million private activity bond deal.

Van Independent School District is on Standard & Poor's watch list for a possible downgrade after a tornado damaged the East Texas town.

Nearly two weeks after the Illinois Supreme Court struck down the state’s 2013 pension overhaul, state lawmakers, local government leaders, and legal experts struggle for an alternative the court would accept.

There are compelling reasons to convert to a decimal system for rating municipal bonds from the current alpha-numeric rating scheme.

The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority’s banks may hold the upper hand among creditors even though they are owed less than 10% of the utility’s debt.