Sell side

Assured Guaranty and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP took advantage of a surge in issuance in the final two months of 2017 to solidify advantages over rival bond insurers and counsel.

The former Morgan Stanley co-head of public finance has joined a Dallas-based municipal finance solution provider.

Tax-exempt issuance again dominates the calendar, after a week of mostly taxable deals .

A special-purpose corporation is selling nearly $800 million to refund some of the city's lower-rated GOs.

The public finance banking team is led by veteran banker Jack Holland.

Bob Spangler and Jim Tricolli will assume responsibilities as RBC's co-heads of municipal finance as Hamel steps away from the top-five underwriter.

The commonwealth plans two more sales in early 2018 after Tuesday's $600 million deal.

The par value of muni underwriting fell for the top five firms as volume receded from the 2016 record.

Issuers rushing to close PABs and refunding deals propelled issuance past the single-month record set before 1986 tax reform.

While the new tax law may portend a difficult year for the municipal market, higher short-term rates and low supply should propel demand in 2018.

New Jersey is planning more than $200 million in borrowing for new government office buildings amid opposition from many in the state's capital city.

As the exact language of the final tax legislation looms, municipal market participants eager wait to see how it pertains to private activity bonds, there will be $11 billion of issuance awaits as issuers make one final push.

In the week ended Dec. 14, the weekly average yield to maturity of the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index nudged up to 3.91% from 3.90% the previous week. The BB40 Index is based on the price of 40 long-term bonds.

BondWave LLC, a financial technology firm focused on fixed income solutions, is bring on Pete Newman as vice president of sales.

Municipal issuers continue to race to market with deals before the calendar turns over, as the tax bill may limit issuance in 2018.

Vivian Altman will be responsible for banking, strategic planning, coordinating execution with underwriting and sales,

As lawmakers worked over the details of tax tax legislation, municipal market participants prepared to embark on what may be a record-setting week for issuance.

The possibility of the municipal market losing both advance refundings and private activity bonds brought a spike in issuance that's likely to extend into December.

Tom Enright and Rick Hursh are managing directors of the firm’s new capital markets office in Indianapolis.

Illinois follows up its $6 billion of October borrowing with $750 million of new money GOs.