Public finance

Contractors that have been absorbing cost increases in fixed-price projects may insist on the more flexible pricing built into progressive design-build delivery models.

Jeff Lipton begins his role as The Bond Buyer's Market Intelligence Analyst with an examination of how evolving federal policy, shifting credit conditions and market inefficiencies shape municipal risk — and where disciplined analysis can uncover value.

Analyst and market strategist Jeff Lipton joins the team to deliver clarity and thoughtful guidance to a market witnessing evolving complexities — connecting policy moves, credit shifts and investment behavior to help our readers navigate what comes next.

Moody's cited the school's weakening liquidity levels in its downgrade.

The Southeast Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is facing federal deadlines after a series of fires. 

Gilmore & Bell and Nixon Peabody were new entrants in the top 10, bumping Greenberg Traurig and Bracewell to the top 15.

Voters will decide the fate of 447 bond propositions totaling a record $83.7 billion with development-related districts accounting for most of the debt.

Economists see the Fed ending quantitative tightening soon, but don't agree exactly when.

Issuance is light this week, with $5.367 billion on tap, and it should be "easily distributed," J.P. Morgan strategists said.

The government shutdown is wreaking more havoc as air traffic controllers will miss a paycheck this week and federal payments to states for housing bonds and Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle bonds may stop flowing.

The city comptroller says Buffalo's finances are in dire shape, and is fighting in court not to issue debt authorized by the mayor and city council.

The utility responded that it is not eligible to declare bankruptcy.

"Investors were not disappointed," said John Kerschner, global head of securitized products and portfolio manager at Janus Henderson. "Inflation came in softer than expected, leading to a tepid bond market rally" and ensuring a rate cut at the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

The northern California school district has been struggling for years and on several occasions abandoned plans to consolidate schools, which rating agencies say might have shored up finances.

Mayor Brandon Johnson released to City Council a report from accounting firm Ernst & Young with recommendations for closing the city's structural budget gap.

The city council president is concerned about state bond commission approval.

The upgrade is driven by realized and expected improvement in the state's financial metrics, the rating agency said.

"We're not going to be having huge reinvestment months over the next few months, not until the beginning of the year. So we need this flow [of deals] to keep up with demand, and we expect that to continue," said Jennifer Johnston, director of municipal bonds research at Franklin Templeton.

The approval of $650 million of revenue bonds comes in the wake of a recently filed petition seeking to subject the project to voter approval or delay.

North Carolina's triple-A ratings were affirmed ahead of plans to sell up to $506 million in general obligation and limited obligation bonds.