Banking

Bond issuers are establishing common reserve funds to spur economic growth while also generating income, but risk is involved.

Fitch Ratings ranks the credit as AA, up from AA-minus.

Geography is playing a role in financial health as debt issuance rises.

Moody's has lifted the credit ratings on five special tax bonds.

BNP Paribas' Lindsay Costigan discusses the progress and ongoing challenges for women in the financial sector, her role in pushing for gender parity and diversity in finance, and how critical career decisions at pivotal moments can define success.

"Just like the ATM became an additional transaction channel in the banking industry, I believe distributed ledger technology will provide municipal issuers with a similarly valued tool to sell their bonds," said Rick Coscia, Quincy's Strategic Asset Manager.

The growing federal debt level may pressure lawmakers to retract or reduce the tax-exemption for munis to generate revenue, some market participants argue.

John Hallacy of John Hallacy Consulting and Rich Ciccarone, president emeritus of Merritt Research Services, talk with Chip Barnett about the municipal bond business over the past 40 years. They take a look back at where the industry has been, where it is and where it will be going.

Andrew Nakahata, who led UBS' western public finance region, will now do the same for TD Securities.

Costanzo is only the fourth woman to lead a municipal banking division. Huntington has hired Citi's entire Midwest public finance banking group, and Costanzo said the firm intends to further grow its footprint in the municipal space.