News and Information from Bond Buyer

Friday, March 13 Issuer St Description Amount

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ALABAMA

Government

Standard & Poor’s raised Wisconsin-based Bellin Health’s rating by one level to A-plus ahead of its upcoming $45 million refunding issue.

Fitch Ratings-New York-12 March 2015: Fitch Ratings has downgraded the ratings for the following Wayne County, Michigan bonds:

The weekly average yield to maturity of The Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index, which is based on 40 long-term bond prices, increased four basis points to 4.31% from 4.27% for the week ended March 5.

This week's oral arguments at the Illinois Supreme Court about the constitutionality of the state's pension overhaul legislation left few hints about how the judges will rule.

Long Island's Nassau County is planning to construct a new practice facility and corporate offices for the New York Islanders hockey team.

Fitch Ratings knocked Chicago-based Roosevelt University's rating down to the lowest investment grade level due to ongoing negative operations.

AEG gives up the ghost on plans to build an NFL stadium in downtown Los Angeles; San Diego renewed efforts to keep its NFL team.

A conference committee in Kentucky will attempt to iron out a major disagreement over retirement funding after the Senate stripped $3.3 billion in pension obligation bonds from a house bill.

Prices of top-rated municipal bonds finished stronger on Thursday, traders said, with yields on some maturities falling by as much as four basis points. Meanwhile, the last of the week’s big offerings came to market, topped off by the New York City general obligation bond sale.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services said it raised its underlying rating on North Carolina Medical Care Commission's series 1999 insured health care facility revenue bonds issued for Scotland Memorial Hospital to BBB-plus from BBB.

Detroit emerged from the largest municipal bankruptcy in the U.S. with stronger credit fundamentals but the city heads into the future facing major economic challenges, Moody's says in a new report.

A higher federal gasoline tax offset by an income tax rebate could unsnarl the revenue gridlock in Congress blocking a multiyear highway bill, ARTBA says.

Indicator Last Report Forecast Actual Import Prices Jan.: -3.1% Feb.: +0.2% Feb.: +0.4% Export Prices Jan.: -1.9% Feb.: -0.1% Feb.: -0.1% Initial Jobless Claims 2/28: 325,000 3/7: 305,000 3/7: 289,000 Continuing Claims 2/21: 2.423M 2/28: 2.400M 2/28: 2.418M Retail Sales Jan.: -0.8% Feb.: +0.3% Feb.: -0.6% ex-Autos Jan.: -1.1% Feb.: +0.5% Feb.: -0.1% Business Inventories Dec.: unch Jan.: +0.1% Jan.: unch Treasury Budget Jan.: -$17.5B Feb.: -$190.5B Feb.: -$192.3B

Florida has saved $220 million on nine refundings so far this fiscal year, and more of such deals are on tap, according to the state’s bond director.

The federal government ran a $192.3 billion budget deficit in February, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.

Renown Regional Medical Center, a Reno, Nev. hospital, received a one-notch rating upgrade to A from A-minus based on its improved financial profile and changes Standard & Poor's made to the way it rates stand-alone hospitals.