Detroit bankruptcy

Six months after first announcing a deal, bankrupt Detroit is still struggling to secure a key debtor-in-possession loan with Barclays.

Detroit's high-profile battle with its bondholders will likely have limited impact in the national market, as general obligation pledges vary widely across the country, Moody's Investors Service said in a new report.

The bankruptcy litigation surrounding Detroit's general obligation bonds is unlikely to have a broad legal impact on the meaning of the GO pledges in bonds nationwide, says Moody's Investors Service in a report.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes pushed back by one month a trial date on the city's plan of debt adjustment after bond insurers and other creditors asked for more time to respond to the controversial plan.

Detroit in a court filing Thursday said it has reached agreement with Barclays Inc. for a $120 million debtor-in-possession financing.

Detroit Wednesday asked the bankruptcy court to set a March 20 date for a hearing on its latest settlement with its interest-rate swap counterparties, calling it key to the city's overall plan of debt adjustment.

Detroit has reached a new settlement with its interest-rate swap counterparties that could significantly boost its efforts to pursue a cramdown plan of adjustment if necessary.

Detroit is treating the bonds issued by the Downtown Development Authority as secured, though the DDA itself is expected to take a 80% haircut on an outstanding loan, Fitch Ratings noted in a comment.

Fitch Ratings downgraded more than $4 billion of Detroit Water and Sewerage Department debt to junk bond status Friday afternoon.

Detroit said creditors should have until June 9 to review and vote on the controversial debt plan it filed last week in bankruptcy court.

All of Detroit's major creditors, including bond insurers, Friday asked the federal judge overseeing Detroit's bankruptcy case to delay the fast-track schedule by at least a month or more.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, in his first state of the city address, said the foundation has been laid for Detroit's revitalization as it moves through its historic Chapter 9 bankruptcy.

Standard & Poor's affirmed ratings and removed from CreditWatch Detroit's distributable state aid bonds issued in 2010 and 2012 through the Michigan Finance Authority.

The federal judge overseeing Detroit's bankruptcy case denied a request from major creditors, led by bond insurers, to slow down the city's fast-track schedule for approval of key bankruptcy documents.

Holders of Detroit's general obligation bonds are among the biggest losers in the city's debt plan, and that's prompting some muni market participants to call for a fresh look at how GOs are viewed.

The judge overseeing Detroit's bankruptcy case released a schedule Monday that sets hearings through June to consider the city's effort to shed its debts and move out of Chapter 9.

Detroit is being cautious about its revenue projections — and its ability to enter the capital markets — over the next decade, according to documents filed in bankruptcy court.

The bond insurers that wrap a chunk of Detroit's unsecured debt blasted the city's debt adjustment plan filed in bankruptcy court Friday, joining a chorus of criticisms from the municipal bond market.

Detroit filed a proposed plan of adjustment that lays out how the city hopes the bankruptcy court will treat its $18 billion of debt, including major cuts to bondholders.

Detroit's pension funds can file a direct appeal of the federal bankruptcy court's decision that the city is eligible for Chapter 9, a process that will run parallel to the city's Chapter 9 case.