Munis

The S&P issuer rating upgrade marks the second for Oklahoma since September when Moody's raised its rating a notch to Aa1.

The effects of infrastructure spending and the need for more are coming into focus as the municipal bond community is dealing with a Congressional threat to eliminate the tax-exempt status of munis. 

The legislation would create a bond-financed reinsurance program to stabilize the homeowner's insurance market, which has been impacted by wildfires.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.