News and Information from Bond Buyer

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn unveiled the draft of a five-year plan to overhaul its Medicaid program in hopes of snaring $5.2 billion in additional federal funding.

Mayor Bill de Blasio's preliminary $73.7 billion budget proposal for New York City still leaves more questions than answers, some capital markets observers said.

Sen. Ron Wyden, the new chair of the Senate Finance Committee, has recently voiced some ideas that would favor the municipal bond market, such as extending bond-related and other expiring tax provisions and reinstating Build America Bonds.

Detroit is set to file a long-awaited plan to adjust its debt next week whether or not it has nailed down certain proposals, such as the lease of its water and sewer system.

California school and community college districts have $37.5 billion in authorized, but unissued local school bonds, according to a report that could influence if voters see a new state-level school bond measure.

Municipal bonds were steady Thursday morning as activity levels remained low in light of a snowstorm in the northeast.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $30 billion 91-day bills and $30 billion 182-day discount bills Tuesday.

The Treasury Department said it will auction $45 billion 58-day cash management bills on Feb. 14.

The Treasury Department said Thursday it will auction $9 billion 30-year inflation-indexed notes on Feb. 20.

Moody's Investors Service said it has downgraded to A2 from A1 the city of Chillicothe, Ohio's long-term general obligation limited tax rating, affecting $6.5 million of outstanding long-term debt.

Sen. Ron Wyden, the new chair of the Senate Finance Committee, has recently voiced some ideas that would favor the municipal bond market, such as extending bond-related and other expiring tax provisions and reinstating Build America Bonds. But the Oregon Democrat's past actions, such as sponsoring legislation that would favor tax-credit over tax-exempt bonds, have posed threats to the muni market.

Tax-exempt money market funds added $1.25 billion of new cash to boost total net assets to $270.12 billion in the week ended Feb. 10, according to The Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet.com.

Business inventories rose 0.5% to $1.708 trillion in December, while sales increased 0.1% to $1.318 trillion, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

Retail sales slid 0.4% in January after dipping a revised 0.1% in December, originally reported as a 0.2% increase, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

Initial jobless claims climbed 8,000 to 339,000 in the week ended February 8, the Labor Department said Thursday.

Moody's Investors Service said it has assigned an A3 underlying and A1 enhanced rating with a stable outlook to the Riverside School District, Pa.'s $16.2 million general obligation bonds, Series 2014, and downgraded to A3 from A2 the rating on $8.4 million in previously-issued GO debt and removed the negative outlook.

Thursday, February 13 Issuer St Description Amount

Thursday, February 13 Issuer St Description Amount

Indicator Last Report Forecast Actual Treasury Budget Dec.: +$53.2B Jan.: n/a Jan.: -$10.4B

Feb. 13, 2014 Southeast: Plain/Insured GO Yield Curve* State Ratings One-Year Five-Year 10-Year 30-Year Alabama Aa1/AA/AA+ 0.19 1.19 2.72 4.06 Florida Aa1/AAA/AAA 0.19 1.19 2.7 4.05 Georgia Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.17 1.1 2.52 3.86 Kentucky Aa2/AA+/AA 0.19 1.23 2.75 4.11 Louisiana Aa2/AA/AA 0.18 1.2 2.69 4.04 Mississippi Aa2/AA/AA+ 0.2 1.22 2.74 4.03 North Carolina Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.17 1.1 2.52 3.86 South Carolina Aaa/AA+/AAA 0.17 1.12 2.55 3.88 Tennessee Aaa/AA+/AAA 0.17 1.11 2.57 3.91 Virginia Aaa/AAA/AAA 0.15 1.1 2.52 3.86 West Virginia Aa1/AA/AA 0.19 1.23 2.74 4.1