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NEWS & COMMENTARY

Illinois bond sale includes pension penalty

Illinois sold $800 million worth of bonds Tuesday, two months after postponing a sale in the wake of a state credit downgrade. Brian Battle, director of trading for Performance Trust Capital Partners, said the state was "very fortunate" to be selling the bonds at this time. "They are paying a penalty, but we're really, really lucky that rates are at all-time historic lows because the penalty doesn't hurt all that much," he said.