Markets

In other asset classes, there has been more transparency, activity and efficiency due to electronic trading. The muni market has been behind in realizing how beneficial electronic trading can be, sources said.

Supply scarcity is helping the market through the Treasury volatility. Bond Buyer 30-day visible supply currently sits at $4.72 billion.

This week's new-issue supply needs to be "priced to sell to pique investor interest," said noted Nuveen's Daniel Close and Anders S. Persson.

Tracey Manzi, senior investment strategist at Raymond James, talks with Chip Barnett about the fixed income markets today and how munis and Treasuries are doing. She says the number one issue clients are asking about is inflation. (20 minutes)

The State Trunk Line Fund deal is the latest to fund the state's $3.5 billion bond authorization for highways. After this deal $700 million remains.

Continued pressure on the UST market coupled with the end of the summer reinvest may begin to test new issues as investors are able to be more selective.

Healthcare and transportation had the biggest contraction in issuance volume.

Total volume in the first half of the year was $180.882 billion in 3,853 deals, down 17.1% from the $218.230 billion in 5,444 over the same period in 2022, according to Refinitiv data.

In comparison to the $17.689 billion of transactions completed in the first half of 2022, the top two municipal bond insurers wrapped $15.571 billion in 2023.

Florida led the nation in payroll growth in July, Wells Fargo said in a Friday report, which noted most of the upturn was in the healthcare and professional and the scientific and technical services sectors while leisure and hospitality shed jobs.