Washington

House Republicans hope to mark up the next surface transportation bill early next year.

Municipal water agencies are appealing to the Environmental Protection Agency about a slowdown in the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan program which along with bond sales, funds improvements to water and sewer infrastructure.

In her first public appearance since President Trump moved to fire her from the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Fed Gov. Lisa Cook reiterated her commitment to bringing inflation under 2% and said that the labor market remains "solid."

States have spent weeks preparing for how they would cover the $8 billion shortfall in food stamps for the month of November.

Technicals are supposed to become slightly more favorable into year-end, said Jeremy Holtz, a portfolio manager at Income Research + Management.

"The knee-jerk reaction of the markets to the Fed meeting (and press conference) was to sell stocks and bonds, because [Fed] Chairman Jerome Powell said that an additional rate cut in December wasn't a sure thing," said Northlight Asset Management Chief Investment Officer Chris Zaccarelli.

The MSRB plans to issue the request for comment regarding MSRB Rule D-15 "within the next week or so."

The softer-than-expected September consumer price index report, released Friday, reinforced confidence in the likelihood of a Fed rate cut at its October meeting and potentially at its December meeting, said Tom Kozlik, managing director and head of public policy and municipal strategy at HilltopSecurities.

The Trump administration has denied an appeal for $33.7 million in FEMA relief funds for flood damage incurred in western Maryland, which ends the possibility of aid for a state already reeling from job losses.

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