Markets

Pressing issues like the shifts in banking teams at various firms following Citi's exit from the business to major ratings changes make the ranking.

"Further Treasury rate volatility or distractions from more favorable alternatives could at the very least moderate money invested into the municipal bond market," DWS strategists said. However, "these dynamics could create periods of opportunity to buy tax-exempt bonds at attractive yields in 2025."

After selling $500 million of revenue bonds in 2023, the turnpike authority could return to the market later this month with a $1.3 billion issue.

Kim Olsan, senior fixed-income portfolio manager at NewSquare Capital, discusses the municipal market's performance, the impact of rising yields and inflation, and the evolving role of ETFs and separately managed accounts as the market braces for record supply in 2025.

"These opportunities will surface periodically throughout the year against heavy supply and the increasingly uncertain path for the Fed, evolving fiscal policy, and volatile Treasury market backdrop," said J.P. Morgan strategists.

The Indiana Municipal Power Agency will issue $268.3 million of power supply system revenue bonds with a mix of new money and refunding debt.

Heavy redemptions and coupon payments this month should help "stabilize" the market, said Barclays strategist Mikhail Foux.

It's the latest mark of distress for proton treatment centers financed with speculative-grade municipal bonds.

BRIDGE Housing Corp. is the first to publicly offer tax-exempt bonds to finance construction of a new development, a 224-unit project in Portland, Oregon.

Investors pulled more from municipal bond mutual funds in the final reporting week of 2024, but high-yield reverted to inflows to close out the year, adding to the sector's outperformance overall.