James Ramage

Refunding momentum drove strong municipal bond issuance in April, as long-term volume weighed in at more than twice what was issued the year before.

Municipal bond volume should hold steady this week, buttressed by a $1.8 billion Illinois deal that has the industry's attention.

Investors piled into muni bond mutual funds this past week.

It was a quiet week for an otherwise indecisive municipal market.

Rumblings heard from Washington recently regarding a threat to the tax-exempt status of municipal bonds don't seem to trouble retail investors, who have increased their purchases of munis this year, mostly through mutual funds.

What kinds of funds are retail investors interested in and what does it mean for the market?

Municipal portfolio managers say retail investors are turning to tax-exempt bond funds because they see them as a relatively safe harbor in stormy seas.

Investors are flush with cash, but they will have less to choose from in the municipal bond market this week.

Municipal bond yields fell this week amid relatively heavy issuance and dithering Treasuries.

Muni bond mutual funds followed a one-week hiccup with more inflows.

Payments made by tobacco companies in 2012 under the master settlement agreement largely met official estimates, it was announced Monday.

The municipal market can anticipate a slight uptick in volume this week before smaller calendars are expected to close out the month.

After 18 consecutive weeks of inflows in the market, and 29 weeks in positive territory out of the past 31, municipal bond mutual funds finally had a week of slight outflows.

After 18 consecutive weeks of inflows in the market, and 29 weeks in positive territory out of the past 31, municipal bond mutual funds finally had a week of slight outflows.

The week started out solidly for the municipal market, marked by robust demand, rallying yields and accelerated primary deals. But as Treasury yields reversed course midweek, the muni market ground to a halt and even began to pull back from its gains.

Analysts more than ever are monitoring the ebb and flow of cash into municipal bond mutual funds.

The culture of austerity that's taken hold at state and local governments across the country has put the squeeze on new money issuance through the first quarter of 2012, which was 2.8% lower than the same period last year.

Municipal bond mutual funds saw a week of slight inflows.

Moderately heavier issuance is expected to meet a municipal market loaded with cash and hungry for paper.

After almost 50 years in the business, Delphis Hanover Corp., a municipal bond market research firm based in Southbury, Conn., will cease operations.