Markets

Muni yields and indexes have risen modestly since Friday, according to the Municipal Market Data scale. But traders throughout the week have remarked how the market seems stronger, as several larger deals arrived early and were well-received.

Current record-high gas prices are not hurting the credit quality of state highway user tax bonds, according to Standard & Poor's.

New rules went into effect Tuesday to make the $65 billion credit-default swap market for municipal bonds less risky and more efficient for investors.

Municipal bond defaults in early 2012 were up dramatically — or down dramatically — depending on how you look at the data.

Investment management firm Spring Mountain Capital is starting a high-yield and distressed municipal strategies group to invest in sub-investment-grade municipal bonds.

The municipal market should expect a welcome, though moderate, uptick in new issuance this week.

Tax-exempt money market funds saw outflows of $2.72 billion as total net assets decreased to $284.58 billion in the week ended March 26, according to the Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet.com.

By most standards, the tax-exempt market has had a respectable week.