Lynne Funk

Triple-A benchmark yields moved higher by as much as five basis points while ICI reported another $1.8 billion of inflows and ETFs increase their share by $841 million.

As infrastructure talks unfold in Washington, the likelihood of higher taxes may be waning, at least in the short run.

A volatile U.S. Treasury market and month-end positioning are pressuring municipal yield curves.

The Federal Reserve must be prepared to move if inflation continues to surprise to the upside, according to one Fed president, while another again stated a desire for the Fed to pull back on its accommodation.

The short end of the yield curve faced pressure from a cheaper UST five-year. As the flattening trend in UST takes hold, demand for duration will also spill over into the tax-exempt space, with long-dated munis continuing to outperform, analysts say.

Refinitiv Lipper's $1.85 billion of inflows say investors aren't going anywhere.

The Investment Company Institute on Wednesday reported $2.533 billion of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds, the highest since February.

Tuesday’s data may not be indicative of where the economy is going and will likely be written off by the Federal Open Market Committee at its meeting, analysts say.

Most analysts expect the Federal Open Market Committee will alter its Summary of Economic Projections and perhaps begin to talk about tapering, without offering clues when they'll begin cutting back on asset purchases.

Now the fifth largest bank in the U.S., PNC will expand its banking and capital markets activities across the Southwest and Western regions.

The Investment Company Institute reported $1.089 billion of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds, marking the 13th consecutive week.

The U.S. Treasury 10-year dipped to its lowest yield since March while municipal investors poured money into new deals and secondary trading helped push benchmarks even lower.

The market idled Monday while investors prepare for a $12 billion new-issue onslaught that brings diversity of credits that will help direct benchmark yields. Continued fund flows are needed to sustain current yields.

ICI's report marks the 12th consecutive week of inflows bringing the total for 2021 to more than $40 billion. Lower- and non-rated deals saw 20 to 30 basis point bumps in repricings as any paper with yield is massively oversubscribed.

The revenue sector winners in May included healthcare with +0.53% gains, transportation with +0.42%, each benefiting from "the reach for yield and improving metrics," analysts said.

Municipal yields will likely stay in a narrow range with trading activity subdued unless larger interest rate volatility unexpectedly sets in, analysts say.

The fundamentals of the muni market have investors stuck in a low-rate environment without much of an alternative. Refinitiv Lipper reported $1.466 billion of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds with $813.8 million into high-yield.

A reported preliminary 25.8% drop in May issuance shows how strong fund inflows, improving credit and the reopening of governments are keeping the muni market issuer friendly.

Triple-A municipal benchmark yield curves were bumped one to two basis points, lagging a four basis point rally in U.S. Treasuries after weaker consumer sentiment and dovish comments from Fed officials moved equities lower.

Strong technicals have been the theme, and with federal aid and better-than-expected tax receipts coming in, issuers are not tapping the market as much as investors would hope.