municipal bonds News

Ransomware Attack on Hospital Shows New Risk for Muni-Bond Issuers

Hackers have finally done what bond issuers may have feared most from cyber criminals. A ransomware attack on Pleasant Valley Hospital in West Virginia was partly responsible for the hospital’s breach of its covenant agreement, according to a notice to …

Moody’s to Weigh City Efforts to Cope with Climate Change in Bond Ratings

For Moody’s Investors Service, it’s no longer enough for cities to have plans addressing their risks from climate change. The company’s municipal-bond analysts, armed with data, will soon determine how those strategies compare with others — and may change their …

A Ponzi Scheme, a Retiree and a Revolt Against OppenheimerFunds

Donald Dwyer left statehouse politics for retirement in Clearwater, Florida, at the Grand Venezia, a 336-unit condominium complex with a pool, tennis courts and ill-fated ambitions to bring a touch of Italian luxury to the Gulf Coast. But the former …

Climate Change: The Already Present, Next Great Risk to Munis

When Miami Beach borrowed $162 million from Wall Street this week, it wanted investors to know rising seas and extreme weather are a real risk to the city and that it’s doing something about it. An increasing number of states …

AAA Bond Ratings Still Being Issued to Coastal Cities Threatened by Climate Change

Last fall, after a trio of deadly hurricanes, ratings companies warned vulnerable coastal cities to get ready for climate change – or face higher borrowing costs on the $3.9 trillion municipal bond market. Climate advocates cheered, hoping the prospect of …