Washington

Public sector employment remains low despite the influx of federal aid, and governments dangling high wages and benefits could face long-term credit challenges, panelists said at Brookings Municipal Finance Conference.

The MSRB has released a mid-year research report showing the sharp decline of taxable issuances, significant outflows from mutual funds and a particularly fruitful last few months for individual investors.

A new study found that following the recent law in Texas law barring muni underwiriting by banks discriminating against the oil and gas industry, municipalities face higher borrowing costs after many players exited the market.

The current territorial status would not be an option in a Puerto Rico voter plebiscite.

West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin’s wholesale refusal to back the climate and tax measures in Democrats’ Build Back Better bill deals a final blow to any hopes of passing any provisions of the muni agenda before November.

Ownership issues seem to be worked out, more or less, but reopening the refinery remains in doubt.

The Federal Reserve’s Inspector General said Chair Jerome Powell and former Vice Chair Richard Clarida’s trading activity had not broken any laws or rules, but the probe into the former heads of the Dallas and Boston regional Fed banks remained open.

The condition of infrastructure projects should be included in bond pricing metrics as many infrastructure assets around the country have turned into liabilities.

Waller is the first Fed policy maker to explicitly express openness to an increase larger than 75 basis points at the July meeting.

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic said “everything is in play” for policy action after data showed that U.S. inflation accelerated again to a fresh four-decade high last month.