Southeast Issuance Plummets.

The article reports on the municipal bond issuance in Southern States which fell during the first half of 2008. Debt sales in the region were down 19.4% on sales volume of $36.4 billion compared to $45.2 billion in comparison with the $45.2 billion of debt sold during the first half of 2007. The decrease in sales volume was caused by debt refinancings prompted by the meltdown of the auction-rate securities market and bond insurer downgrades.