Markets

Inflows to municipal bond mutual funds ticked up this week to $324 million, making it eight consecutive weeks in the red.

Long-term municipal bond issuance hit the brakes in February, as issuers floated 22% less in volume last month than they did over the same period in 2012.

Tax-exempt money market funds saw modest inflows as they reversed the recent outflow pattern.

Assured Guaranty Ltd. reported quarterly profits and announced that it plans to begin writing policies with its new municipal-only insurer, Municipal Assurance Corp., later this year.

With low interest rates, stagnant supply, and anticipated regulations, the market for variable rate demand obligations is in decline.

Scales tracking the municipal market may forecast lower yields across most of the spectrum of the curve Tuesday, but the scene for retail investors is a quiet one.

Moody's Investors Service has placed $354 million of outstanding debt from 40 issuers on review, direction uncertain, due to lack of information.

The long-term care credit market has stabilized, writes Jon Barasch of Interactive Data Corp. in this commentary.

Municipal bond yields, true to their habit of following Treasury yields with a noticeable lag, have started Tuesday lower, bestowing upon the market a stronger tenor.