Munis

DFW reported present value savings of more than 27% from this week's current refunding of $489.5 million of tax-exempt bonds.

A new law allows state agency Space Florida to sell revenue bonds for private aerospace firms without requiring approvals from the state governor or cabinet.

COVID-19 has put large burdens on state and local coffers and new business for the municipal bond insurers, generally, has increased.

There were a few changes in the top municipal bond counsel rankings, with the only spots staying the same numbers one and 10.

Coronavirus-related disclosures last week reached to just over 600 filings, but it is still a far cry from just less than a month before which saw 1,200 filings.

Hamden received its second hit from the rating agencies in four days when Fitch lowered the town's general obligation bonds to BBB.

State University of New York refinancing could offset lost revenues from expected declines in student housing revenue stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moody's Investors Service and S&P moved their outlook the Detroit-based university's ratings to negative as the Michigan state school prepares to sell bonds.

Supply-hungry buyers look forward to all of the week's new bond issues.

Long-dated municipals end strong as new supply hits the screens while taxable issuance continues its run to near-record levels.

Jim Colby, senior municipal strategist and author of the Muni Nation blog at Van Eck, talks about what’s happened in the municipal bond market since March 20. He looks at the big picture after COVID-19 and drills down into municipal bond funds and ETFs. Chip Barnett hosts this remote podcast.

The new direct-pay bonds would be an improvement from the Build America Bonds because they would be exempt from the sequestration cuts.

Municipal bond prices remained steady as more supply hits the screens.

Conditions under a recently announced temporary exemption are narrow, SEC staff said, despite push back from dealers.

Despite the coronavirus wrecking havoc all over the world and with the brunt of the damage occurring in the second quarter of the year, municipal bond issuers have sold just over $23 billion more than they did at this time last year.

The top 10 saw three firms that were not in it last year and only one firm remained in the same position compared to the previous year's first six months.

Financial advisors in the municipal bond market accounted for $159.85 billion so far in 2020, more than the $138.61 billion in the first six months of 2019. There was only one change in the top-five year-over-year.

Upcoming competitive long-term bond sales

Restoration of tax-exempt advance refunding might be inserted into the Senate's coronavirus relief package.

Analysts had mixed reactions on what could have caused the decline, pointing to some municipalities closing out their fiscal years at the end of June.