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Bonds Articles

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services downgraded several oilfield services and drilling companies.  Among the companies the ratings agencies took action were Allis-Chalmers Energy Inc. (NYSE:...
Van Eck Global has announced the launch of a new ETF to track the high-yield municipal bond market.  This is under its Market Vectors program and is called the  High-Yield Municipal Index ETF (NYX:...
Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A) was one of the investors in Harley-Davidson Inc’s  (NYSE: HOG)  offering of $600 million of senior unsecured notes. The company is raising...
If you hadn’t gotten your full round of pre-weekend economic gloom, famed investor Julian Robertson of Tiger Management just gave an interview with CNBC’s Erin Burnett. He is cautious about what...
SIRUS XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) issued a statement after the close showing how the company is taking tiny steps to trim its debt balances.  Every penny of debt it can shed helps its overall...
Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: LVLT) has just filed a mixed securities shelf registration with the SEC that will allow the sale of securities.  This filing pertains more to security holders...
It really is a wonder how and why the debt ratings agencies still have any merit or use at all, but for now they still have some pull.  Moody’s has announced that it has lowered the debt ratings...
Oil field services company Weatherford International Ltd. (NYSE:WFT) announced that it has begun offering Senior Notes due in 2019. A subsidiary of Weatherford "will fully and unconditionally...
It is no secret at all that the bond funds, particularly closed-end funds, have had a hard time in the latest credit mess.  Yet today marks perhaps a new change for closed-end funds, and if others...
Chimera Investment Corporation (NYSE: CIM) is back at the trough to raise more cash.  The vulture mortgage investment REIT has filed to sell up to $750 million in common and preferred stock.  No...
Energy Transfer Partners L.P. (NYSE:ETP) has priced an offering of $600 million in 9.7% senior notes due 2019, and the paper has been rated ‘BBB-‘ with a ‘stable’ outlook by Fitch Ratings....
As if Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C) had any real strength to its ratings, Moody’s has downgraded Citigroup’s senior debt.  Interestingly, Moody’s says that this downgrade was moderated by the...
The FOMC voted, and the Fed Funds Rate has now been given a TARGET RANGE of 0% to 0.25%. The Discount Rate was cut 0.75% and is now at 0.50%. Some of the statements are as follows: “The Next...
With ‘the Governator’ saying California is on the verge of financial Armageddon, there is concern about billions of investor dollars in municipal bond funds.  This raises many questions about...
There has been one asset class which has held up with flying colors: US TREASURIES.  It has been a great ride if you hold them, but the yields are reaching a point that signals something...