Investments

The Illinois Finance Authority will go to market with $850 million of revenue and refunding bonds for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency next week.

What's happening to the muni market is the "confluence of modest selling (via fund outflows and retail perhaps pausing during tax season); a heavy new issue calendar; and very thin near-term reinvestment expectations," said Matt Fabian, a partner at Municipal Market Analytics.

Another big deal from a major borrower is moving forward after Rochester's City Council last week approved a conduit bond sale for the Mayo Clinic.

The American Securities Association's federal appeals court case regarding an SEC order has been stayed until Aug. 13.

The state treasurer is seeking someone willing to take the role on a permanent basis.

Goldman Sachs was tapped to lead a sales tax revenue bond issue to finance an arena to replace Paycom Center, home of the NBA's Thunder.

Colleges and universities have already begun hiring freezes and spending cuts, dialing back research and rescinding offers to Ph.D. candidates, the rating agency said.

Houston, Phoenix, and Dallas are taking action to address fiscal challenges brought on by litigation, state actions and a ballot measure.

The American Society of Civil Engineers released its infrastructure report card, which shows that billions spent on infrastructure is having overall positive effects on the condition of the nation's bridges, highways, and ports.

Lighter supply, at an estimated $7.9 billion, and still-attractive valuations should allow for solid muni performance this week, said J.P. Morgan strategists.

A bill in Oregon would tax professional baseball players to fund $800 million in bonds for a stadium to attract a Major League Baseball team.

Plaintiffs are challenging Oconee County's use of general obligation bonds repaid by taxpayers countywide to fund sewer improvements serving a small area.

The New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority is tapping the market for the second time in two months, this time with a $600 million refunding.

An Oklahoma agency is borrowing $1.15 billion through an unrated tax-exempt Public Finance Authority bond deal to build and equip a tire factory backed by Finnish interests.

Municipal bond issuance for the week of March 24 is at $7.923 billion, with $6.673 billion of negotiated deals and $1.251 billion of competitive deals on tap.

The Chicago Public Schools ended the week no closer than it started to answering the question of how or if a scheduled pension payment will be made.

The Los Angeles-based fund manager has expanded into debt financing to offer affordable housing developer clients a lower cost of capital.

Separately managed accounts have exploded in the muni market in recent years but high-yield SMAs remain rare.

The rating agency cited a tax cut package enacted by the state last year and uncertainty over federal policies for the outlook revision to stable from positive.

The governor is calling for a freeze on planned cuts to individual and corporate tax rates.