News and Information from Bond Buyer

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey showed "business conditions improved marginally for New York manufacturers," in February, but weakened from January, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported Tuesday as the general business conditions index fell to 4.48 in February from 12.51 in January.

Moody's Investors Service said it has downgraded Citrus Memorial Hospital, Fla.'s bond rating to Caa3 from B3, affecting $37.5 million of Series 2002 fixed rate revenue bonds issued by the Citrus County Hospital Board.

Feb. 18, 2014 Southwest: Plain/Insured GO Yield Curve* State Ratings One-Year Five-Year 10-Year 30-Year Arizona Aa3/AA+/NR 0.27 1.36 2.84 4.16 Arkansas Aa1/AA/NR 0.17 1.17 2.62 3.94 Colorado Aa1/AA/NR 0.19 1.25 2.74 4.09 Kansas Aa1/AA+/NR 0.17 1.15 2.63 3.98 New Mexico Aaa/AA+/NR 0.17 1.16 2.64 3.98 Oklahoma Aa2/AA+/AA+ 0.19 1.26 2.74 4.08 Texas Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.17 1.13 2.56 3.93 Utah Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.17 1.11 2.52 3.84

2/17/2014 2/10/2014 State Amount ($000s) Iss Amount ($000s) Chg in Amt ($000s) Arizona 5 $73,855 3 $46,455 $27,400 Arkansas 0 0 2 12,535 -12,535 Colorado 4 42,480 0 0 42,480 Kansas 8 25,113 9 109,430 -84,317 New Mexico 7 91,420 4 68,815 22,605 Oklahoma 4 49,415 11 105,920 -56,505 Texas 30 2,255,686 31 1,725,821 529,865 Utah 2 18,000 0 0 18,000

Tuesday, February 18 Issuer St Description Amount

Tuesday, February 18 Issuer St Description Amount

Tuesday, March 11 Issuer St Description Amount

Week Of February 18 Issuer St Description Amount

ARIZONA

ALABAMA

Day Indicator Last Report Forecast Tuesday Empire State Manufacturing Jan.: 12.51 Feb.: 9.00 Tuesday NAHB Housing Index Jan.: 56 Feb.: n/a Wednesday Housing Starts Dec.: 999,000 Jan.: 950,000 Wednesday Building Permits Dec.: 986,000 Jan.: 980,000 Wednesday PPI Dec.: +0.4% Jan.: +0.1% Wednesday PPI Core Dec.: +0.3% Jan.: +0.2% Thursday CPI Dec.: +0.3% Jan.: +0.1% Thursday CPI Core Dec.: +0.1% Jan.: +0.1% Thursday Initial Claims 2/8: 339,000 2/15: 335,000 Thursday Cont. Claims 2/1: 2.953M 2/8: 2.970M Thursday Leading Indicators Dec.: +0.1% Jan.: +0.4% Thursday Philly Fed Manufacturing Jan.: 9.4 Feb.: 8.0 Friday Existing Home Sales Dec.: 4.870M Jan.: 4.670M

Supply will trail off again as a $400 million Metropolitan Transportation Authority is expected to sell amid an otherwise lackluster holiday-shortened week.

Rhode Island officials and a federal mediation panel late Friday announced a settlement in lawsuits that challenged the state's 2011 pension overhaul law, but state lawmakers must still approve it.

Government

Cheapening Puerto Rico bonds are again drawing the attention by hedge funds looking for high yield investments.

With more than $10 billion of publicly financed projects in development, Houston is preparing to host its second-annual investor conference and offering the market $1.5 billion of utility debt.

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered its long-term rating to BB-plus from BBB-minus on the Northern Inyo County Local Hospital District, Calif.'s series 2010 and series 2013 revenue bonds.

Energy production is driving explosive population growth in states such as North Dakota with positive implications for those economies, while other economic and demographic factors are constraining the growth of states such as West Virginia, according to a Fitch Ratings report released Friday.

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has adopted a 20-year construction program to meet a federal planning mandate but warned it can't really afford the plan amid dwindling funding.