Finance

Price indexes in the latest New York manufacturing survey came in higher than expected, furthering inflation concerns.

Colorado lawmakers are working on a $5 billion funding proposal for transportation; this week's $500 million debt issue targets immediate needs.

Three upgrades in two days and four in six weeks mark the state's first bond-rating upgrades in 20 years.

After facing outside economic data pressures and rising U.S. Treasuries, municipals ended the week on solid footing ahead of a larger calendar with newly upgraded Connecticut leading with $1 billion of exempt and taxable GOs.

Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Kroll Bond Rating Agency all upgraded the Constitution State ahead of a $1 billion taxable and tax-exempt transaction set for Wednesday.

Proposed remedies were as varied as the candidates themselves as eight leading Democratic candidates jousted in a live televised debate.

Refinitiv Lipper reported $750 million of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds for the week ending May 12 while high-yield funds saw $487 million of inflows.

The outlook shift to stable from negative is a badly needed shot in the arm from the capital markets as the city prepares to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the pressure was on municipal yields, which rose two to four basis points, the Investment Company Institute reported another week of inflows, with $928 million coming into municipal bond mutual funds and another $285 million into ETFs.

First quarter FDIC data show a $10.75 billion-plus jump in U.S. banks’ net purchases of municipal securities, the eighth biggest quarter since 2003, MMA says.

Tighter spreads and richer ratios are likely to continue, particularly as looming tax increases amplify the value of the tax-exemption, but analysts are hesitant to predict how much lower rates can go before investors balk.

A disappointing jobs report gives credence to the Federal Reserve’s concern about slack in the labor market.

Refinitiv Lipper reported $584 million of inflows, $341 million of which went to high-yield, as investors pull back on reinvesting to pay tax bills with the May 17 tax filing deadline looming.

While the race has drawn few headlines compared with the battle for mayor, a dozen hopefuls are running for the office.

Pennsylvania's competitive GO deal saw its yields fall further from recent trading while the North Texas Tollway Authority benefited from positive credit news on the transportation sector and repriced 25 basis points lower. ICI reported another round of $2-billion-plus inflows.

The state's revised contract with Foxconn on tax subsidies reflects the dramatic downsizing of the original project unveiled in 2017.

After just one session, the 10-year muni is back below 1% with ICE Data Services and Refinitiv MMD at 0.99% while Bloomberg BVAL is at 0.96% and IHS Markit at 0.95%.

Inflationary pressures remain high while the manufacturing sector continues to deal with supply chain woes that hold it back, analysts said.

The states intend to come to market with $600 million and $1 billion, respectively, bringing state GO credits in an improving credit environment that has held yields down.

Rates, ratios and credit spreads have munis entering May on solid footing, though some pressures due to tax season and rising U.S. Treasuries remain.