Public finance

CALIFORNIA

The Bond Buyer's muni bond indexes strengthened in the week ending Aug. 14.

Detroit Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes pushed back the start date of a trial on the city's confirmation plan by eight days to Aug. 29, noting that the city's plan to reach a settlement with its water and sewer bondholders will likely result in a newly amended confirmation plan.

Despite strong investment gains and other improvements, a persistent underlying weakness remained the underlying theme for the non profit health care sector in 2013, according to Standard & Poor's.

Zero coupon tobacco bonds may fall especially hard when interest rates begin to rise, according to analysts who follow the high yield, long maturity securities.

Pennsylvania's Transportation Commission will submit an updated 12-year, $63.2 billion transportation program to federal officials, said Gov. Tom Corbett.

CONNECTICUT

ALABAMA

Hospitals in the 24 states that have opted against expanding Medicaid under federal healthcare reform stand to lose out on $168 billion over 10 years while states will lose out on more than $400 billion, a new report from the Urban Institute concludes.

Congress delayed, but did not fix, a $100 billion hole in federal transportation spending with the enactment last Friday of legislation providing $10.8 billion to extend solvency of the rapidly shrinking Highway Trust Fund by 10 months.

Detroit asked the bankruptcy court to approve financing deals that would allow it to refinance up to $5.5 billion of water and sewer debt, providing the first glimpse of settlement details with the bondholders in the court request.

FLORIDA

ALABAMA

Syncora Guarantee Inc. is targeting the federal mediators who crafted the main settlement at the heart of Detroit's bankruptcy exit plan, arguing that they showed illegal and politically motivated bias toward pensioners and saving the city's art.

Detroit said a planned $300 million exit financing that key to its recovery will feature a first lien on income taxes and mature in 11 to 15 years.

COLORADO

IOWA

President Obama signed a 10-month, $11 billion bailout of Highway Trust Fund that ensures federal reimbursements continue to state transportation projects.

With higher education issuance set to jump, analysts are pondering whether the higher yields on the credits are worth the risk.

KENTUCKY