Market Intelligence

Heavy August issuance created fewer oversubscriptions and more demand for concessions, a signal that issuers, advisors and underwriters need to pay closer attention to structure, timing and clearing levels, according to Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton argues data center expansion will likely create a reallocation of risk and the market should price the contractual framework of a utility and how that insulates bondholders.

Funded ratios remain useful, but they can mask risky assumptions, illiquid investments and correlated exposures that may force higher government pension contributions during the next downturn, writes Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton.

Student housing bonds trade wide for a reason: declining college-age populations, private competition and non-recourse structures make demand, disclosure, university commitment and stress-testing the signals investors need to validate, writes Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton says muni investors should treat July as a reset, not a retreat, with positive flows, compelling taxable-equivalent yields and selective repricing supporting modest single-digit returns by yearend.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton says overreliance on financial ratios can obscure forward-looking credit risks, making qualitative factors such as political willingness, management strategy, cyber-threat preparedness, legal security and economic and policy change essential to muni decision-making.

Volume-cap allocations can reveal which projects will gain access to tax-exempt financing and which may be crowded out, making private-activity bond rules a practical signal for issuers, advisors and investors, according to Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton says cyber preparedness has become a key credit signal for muni investors, with issuer readiness potentially affecting borrowing costs, liquidity, capital market access and confidence in timely debt service.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton breaks down why munis became the fixed-income standout in 1H 2026, as tax-exempt income, SMA demand, healthy supply-demand dynamics, curve positioning, active security selection and spread compression offset geopolitical volatility and shifting Fed expectations.

The first tobacco bond payment default raises the prospect of additional isolated failures, but not a systemic sector collapse, according to Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton, highlighting how vintage, lien, turbo and reserve features can produce sharply different cash flow and liquidity outcomes.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton explains why constrained state budgets should not be mistaken for broad credit deterioration, pointing to rainy-day funds, revenue diversity, low debt burdens and strong debt-service protections as key stabilizers.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton breaks down how security selection, sector allocation, curve positioning and carry can generate excess returns in high-yield munis, while warning that weak cash flow, a lack of economic viability, limited liquidity and thin disclosure can quickly undermine value.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton maps where credit remains stable and where caution is warranted in his mid-year scorecard, flagging pressure points in higher education, K-12, tobacco and parts of local government while outlining the structural strengths supporting states, airports and other essential-service sectors.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton explains how California Mello-Roos land-secured bonds can add yield and diversification, and outlines the underwriting checklist investors should use to balance development risk against structural protections.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton recaps May's muni outperformance versus Treasuries and broad fixed income, highlighting how carry, reinvestment demand and spread compression drove strong returns and helped A3 and Baa credits lead the market.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton notes that coupon selection is often a strategy decision, not a price preference, and explains why premium coupons can help mitigate adverse price moves while giving investors flexibility through higher ongoing tax-free income.

Research from The Bond Buyer finds that political will is the strongest impediment or asset to the growth of P3 activity across the U.S.

Market Intelligence analyst Jeff Lipton explains why energy prepays have become a popular SMA allocation for yield and diversification, while warning that financial institution counterparty concerns and "guilt-by-association" bank headlines can still trigger episodic spread widening.

Municipal finance professionals surveyed by The Bond Buyer said unrealistic revenue projections were the top driver of problems for public-private partnership deals.

New data from The Bond Buyer finds more than half of respondents agreed that private sector partners stand to benefit the most from the increased use of P3s.