U.S. investors who had been betting the Fed would raise rates as early as the end of next year abruptly retreated from those positions on Friday after a disappointing April employment report and now see the earliest the Fed might tighten roughly two years away. The push back in expectations for when the Fed might start raising rates also means any reduction in the pace of its bond buying - which the Fed has said will begin first - may also occur later than some investors had been betting. Source: Reuters.

A new chapter will begin June 1 for Ron Marsh. That’s when Clearwater’s city administrator will take on the same role in the city of Abilene. The Clearwater city council accepted Marsh’s resignation at its meeting on April 27. It’s an opportunity for my career, a little bit bigger town. It’s more of a standalone town,” he said. Abilene has a population of nearly 6,400 people, more than twice that of Clearwater’s 2,500 residents. Marsh has long been involved in government work. He worked for 18 years in Sedgwick County’s public works department, spending much of that time in administration and [...]

Investors in search of higher returns and lower taxes are scooping up debt sold by state and local governments, pushing borrowing costs to near-record lows and boosting coffers from California to Connecticut. Investors have poured a net $39 billion into municipal-bond mutual funds this year through Thursday, according to data compiled by Municipal Market Analytics, the most over the same period since 2008. Returns on the debt, which local governments use to fund public works such as sewers or bridges, have beaten those of corporate bonds and Treasurys. ... One factor driving recent gains, according to some analysts: State and local [...]

The interest rate table above illustrates recent changes in a sample of MBIS "investment grade" yields. Every issuer's credit is different. For rates that may be applicable to your municipality, contact our Municipal Bond Advisors, Larry Kleeman and Beth Warren.