Capital markets

Fitch Ratings affirmed Illinois GO bonds at BBB-plus and lifted the rating outlook as the state prepares to sell up to $2.5 billion of general obligation debt.

The rating action affects $423 million in bonds and certificates of participation. The territory's issuer rating was affirmed at speculative-grade Ba1.

Redwood City-based Summit Public Schools had its bond rating downgraded to Ba3 from Baa3 by Moody's and its outlook revised to negative.

The $250 million in debt being issued for Montana Renewables is equal to nearly half the state's issuance for last year.

Moody's Investors joined S&P Global Ratings in lifting the state into the A category with a single notch upgrade to A3 Tuesday.

Governance decisions and rapidly escalating deficits contributed to Moody's decision to cut Illinois Tech's rating two notches to speculative grade.

Fitch said the action "reflects the recent enactment of legislation clarifying the future operational profile of the district," formerly controlled by Disney.

Outflows lessened, with the Investment Company Institute reporting investors pulled $344 million from mutual funds in the week ending March 1, after $1.148 billion of outflows the previous week.

Turmoil at the community college has placed its accreditation in jeopardy and resulted in a rating downgrade.

A stronger 2021 aided hospital balance sheets for those whose fiscal years end on June 30 based on a review of hospital operating medians

One public hospital district violated a debt service covenant and was downgraded to junk; the other declared a fiscal emergency and seeks an outside partner.

Moody's and S&P also warn of the potential for further downgrades; UC Health has begun to implement financial turnaround strategies amid operating losses.

A key consideration in the upgrade was the state's recent actions in both addressing longstanding obligation repayments and rapidly repaying obligations taken on during the pandemic-induced recession, S&P said.

A bill introduced by Sen. Dave Min would prohibit banks that invest in gunmaking from working on any aspect of state public finances, including bond sales.

Fitch Ratings received enough inquiries over S&P's action — slashing a Chicago suburb's GO rating by seven notches — that it put out a special commentary outlining differences between the two agencies' analytical approach even though Fitch does not rate the village under scrutiny.

Rating analysts said dropping reserves to 0.25% from 5% to free up capacity does not impact the school bond guarantee program's triple-A ratings.

A California conduit will price private activity bonds to replace the intakes for a San Diego County water desalination plant.

Bolingbrook called the GO cut to BBB-plus from AA an attempt "to cause a de facto conversion" of a special sales tax district's debt to a general obligation.

Alex Chilton is the firm's new head of municipal securities. Zach Solomon and David Gallin are co-heads of public finance. 

A California treasurer's conduit approved a $135 million bond-funded grant for Loma Linda University Children's Hospital.