Author: Jim Walker

Bond Early Warning System Needed for Monitoring Defaults

How can investment advisors monitor the 1.5 million cusips from 60,000 different issuers if most bonds ratings are stale or are not rated at all? We need an Bond early…

Andrew Ross Sorkin, from NY Times Discusses Ratings Meltdown on Brian Lehrer show (WNYC)

Here is a good interview with our favorite radio host, Brain Lehrer from WNYC and Andrew Ross Sorkin, columnist and financial reporter for The New York Times as they discuss…

Stale Ratings: Testimony of Moody’s Former Head of Compliance

Its fair to say that when rating agencies recalibrated their muni ratings in Q2 2010 to bring them in-line with other debt types, they did not conduct a credit review….

Obituary: Las Vegas Monorail Project

The Las Vegas Monorail Project is dead but long live its muni bonds which while in default, still trade regularly. They are “junk” muni bonds yielding 15%.

Casino Muni Bond Defaults Because “The People Got Fed Up”

A federal court actually allowed an American Indian tribe to get out of a $50 million bond it owed to a private investor, raising concerns among other tribal-casino lenders. The…

Muni Default Risk To Get Worse Before It Gets Better

Take a look at this WSJ video with Bob DiMella, manager of the Mainstay Tax Free Fund. In summary he says:

Harrisburg Bonds May Incinerate Value – 41473EFH9

The Bottom Line As Warren Buffett wisely notes, “When the tide goes out, you get to see who is swimming naked.” In Harrisburg’s case, we’re seeing a whole lot of…

Muni Bond Defaults Need A louder Alarm

This article was updated on January 17th, 2025 Less than a month before the $43.4 million municipal bond default of Boston-based Crosstown Center, an unsuspecting retail buyer purchased $100,000 of…

AMBAC Lives Another Day

Key Developments AMBAC shows signs of survival despite recent bankruptcy concerns Company reports $856M surplus, exceeding regulatory minimums Stock price jumps over 30% to $1.30 $440 million tax refund provides…