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Reports on investors' reception to Massachusetts' municipal bond offerings in the wake of tax cuts. Concerns over tax rate levels in the state; Sources of demand for tax-exempt municipal securities; Includes relief for individuals in higher tax brackets.

Reports on developments in institutional investments and municipal bonds in Massachusetts and in the whole United States as of December 8, 1998. Influence of primary markets on institutional demand; Market response to the Massachusetts grant anticipation note and Bay Transportation Authority revenue offering; Remarks by portfolio managers Kurt Larson and Tom Conlin on the market.

The article reports on the senior revenue bonds, worth 150 million dollars, to be issued by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority in May 2011 to help finance water and sewer projects in the Boston area. It states that the 100 million dollars will be used to help support the authority's sewer-overflow program, electrical equipment upgrades, and other water and sewer infrastructure improvements. It also adds that the 50 million dollars will help roll over commercial paper that is set to expire.

"With the favorable market tone and promising outperformance for munis, ratios, although stable throughout the past several trading sessions, remain on the richer side as value opportunities continue unevenly along the muni curve", Lipton said. Municipals were little changed in secondary trading Wednesday while sizable deals from Massachusetts, the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority and others enjoyed ample demand in the primary and municipal bond mutual funds saw more inflows. "Given the combination of attractive yields and strong credit conditions, we have a positive view on the muni market over the remainder of the year", Cooper Howard, fixed income strategist specializing in municipals at Charles Schwab, said Wednesday. [Extracted from the article]

Reports on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's planned variable-rate debt deal as of March 20, 2000. Details of the municipal tender swap deal arranged by Bear, Stearns and Co.

Reports on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's issuance of municipal bonds to finance major building projects in Massachusetts. Use of municipal debt to complete the upgrading of sewage treatment facilities in the state; Plan to focus on water services for Boston, Massachusetts.

The article reports on the plan of Massachusetts Development Finance Agency to sell a total of $42 million bonds to finance the projects for the YMCA of Greater Worcester and North Slope. The Greater Worcester project will receive $25 million while $17 million is allotted for North Shore. The deal underwriter is KeyBanc Capital Markets and Bowditch and Dewey LLP is the bond counsel.

The article reports on the sale of the municipal bonds of the University of Massachusetts Building Authority for its Lowell campus. The building authority will sell approximately 265 million dollars of municipal bonds to refund outstanding debt and to finance capital improvements at the state university's Lowell campus.

Discusses how municipal issuance from private schools has helped ease the problems of the Massachusetts tax-exempt market, according to portfolio manages of strong-performing state funds. Performance of the John Hancock Massachusetts Tax-Free Income Fund; Alliance Municipal Income Fund II Massachusetts; Total return and yield on top funds.

Reports that a pair of competitive New England general obligation deals are sparking strong interest from retail buyers. Refunding and new money offering from the city of Boston; Massachusetts' outstanding debt; Heavy demand for both issues.

Several charts are presented which lists the U.S. Securities Prices, the municipal bond prices, and municipal bond index of several corporations, states and cities of the U.S. including the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the state of California, and the capital long treasury bond index of Barclays PLC.

The article reports on the implementation of new approval policies by the Massachusetts Health and Educational Facilities Authority (MassHEFA) and its decision to refinance nearly $600 million of auction-rate debt. The policy change would provide borrowers who are in need of converting auction-rate bonds, a faster access to the market. It is also a response to the recent auction-rate failures where issuers are forced to pay higher interest rates.

The article reports on the finance of public-private infrastructures in Massachusetts. According to the report, the rising fuel costs and electricity rates have prompted the communities in the state to join a number of nationwide towns and cities looking into acquiring, or reacquiring power systems. The existing law of the state has made it impractical for municipalities to purchase the investor-owned utilities that serve them and that has got state lawmakers contemplating change on Beacon Hill.

Reports on the resumption of Go bond sales, reviving a refunding deal that has been delayed due to negative arbitrage in Massachusetts. Financial transactions of the sale underwritten by UBS Financial Services; Impact of the rally in the municipal bond market, combined with a compression spreads between municipal bonds and treasuries; Statement of Jeffrey Stearns, deputy state treasurer.

After reviewing its finances for Logan Airport and allowing time for the airline industry to stabilize, the Massachusetts Port Authority is ready to get back into the municipal bond market some 20 months after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. “After September 11, we wanted time for Logan's market and Logan's finances to stabilize themselves before we reentered the bond market and we believe that we have now restored our finances to a strong state,” The port authority is expected to issue up to 400 million dollars of general airport revenue bonds next week as of May 13, 2003 in a sale underwritten by Citigroup Global Markets Inc., formerly Salomon Smith Barney Inc., with Lehman Brothers Inc. as the co-lead manager.

Reports that Morgan Stanley Group Inc. is again preparing to underwrite negotiated municipal bond deals in Massachusetts, more than two years after being banned. Opening of the firm's first public finance office in the commonwealth; Career history of Chris Alberti, head of the office; Cause of the ban.

The article reports on the meeting of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB) which is intended to discuss the proposed centralized repository Electronic Municipal Market Access (EMMA) in Boston, Massachusetts. It states that EMMA provides disclosure and price information on the prices of municipal securities for market underwriters and participants. The system also makes trade clearing and data reporting faster, more efficient and more accurate.

The article reports on the largest prepaid natural gas deal of Tennergy Corp. that will fill the $8.7 billion deals that will be priced in the municipal primary market in Massachusetts. The deal will contain fixed-rate debt and variable-rate bonds. It will be priced by JP Morgan Chase. The bonds are scheduled to mature from 2008 to 2027.

The article reports on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority's plan to sell $875 million of fixed-rate debt on January 17, 2007. The deal could generate a net-present-value savings of at least $3.4 million and finance the North Dorchester Bay project. Bear, Stearns & Co. has been appointed as underwriter. Public Financial Management is the financial adviser.

The article analyzes the performance of the American municipal bond market on March 1, 2006. Competitive issue offerings attracted strong bids. Lehman Brothers purchased Maryland general obligation bonds and reoffered them for yields. Morgan Stanley bought Virginia general obligation refunding bonds and reoffered them with yields. Massachusetts Water Resources Authority sold general revenue debts.

Reports on the companies selected by Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust to manage its bond sales in Massachusetts. Eligibility of the firms to senior manage the primary market openings; Competition of the firms on a deal-by-deal basis for the right to sell the trust's debt to investors; Competitiveness of the municipal market.

Reports on the launching of closed-end fund by Pioneer Investment Management Inc. in stocks and municipal bonds in Boston, Massachusetts. Investment in dividend paying stocks and municipal bonds; Issuance of preferred shares; Escalation of after-tax returns.

Reports that the Massachusetts State College Building Authority will sell $64 million of insured project revenue bonds in January 2004. Allocation of proceeds to a residence hall, a parking lot and various system-wider repairs and renovations; Structure of the revenue bonds; Bond insurance coverage provided by MBIA Insurance Corp.

Reports that underwriters have opened the multimillion Massachusetts federal highway grant anticipation notes to retail investors. Firming of municipal bonds in sympathy with Treasury gains as stocks fell.

Reports on the team up of the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency with a private developer to renovate the publicly owned Saltonstall office building in Boston, Massachusetts. Public-private sharing of the office building; Amount of the self-imposed debt cap set by the commonwealth; Use of lease-backed appropriation bonds.

Reports on the performance of several Massachusetts municipal bond funds as of March 1999. Credit concerns surrounding hospital and other health care deals; Factors that signal an improved performance for education issues; Efforts of some bond fund managers to accumulate non-callable bonds and eliminate call risk; Preference for bonds that appeal to retail buyers.

Features the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' floatation of $321.4 million of federal highway grant participation notes. Uses of the proceeds of and security for the municipal bonds; Assessment of the bonds by various credit rating agencies; Structure of the issue.

Focuses on the declining spreads observed in the municipal bond market in Massachusetts as of October 1997. Effect of the trend on the ability of funds, insurers and underwriters to make money; Investment areas seen to benefit from the trend; Comments from market analysts and regulators.