Markets

Inflows continued with the Investment Company Institute reporting investors added $2.194 billion to mutual funds in the week ending Feb. 8, after $1.471 billion of inflows the previous week.

Fitch Ratings received enough inquiries over S&P's action — slashing a Chicago suburb's GO rating by seven notches — that it put out a special commentary outlining differences between the two agencies' analytical approach even though Fitch does not rate the village under scrutiny.

"We urge you to use rescue plan money to make your community safer," Biden said. "Invest in affordable housing, get small businesses back on their feet, train your workforce." 

Rating analysts said dropping reserves to 0.25% from 5% to free up capacity does not impact the school bond guarantee program's triple-A ratings.

"Markets were expecting (hoping, praying) to get further confirmation that a peak is in and the decline is at least steady, if not accelerating," said Jan Szilagyi, CEO and co-founder of Toggle AI.

February municipal bond activity compared to last month is brisk yet more finicky in the face of an ongoing supply shortage, according to Jeff Lipton, head of municipal credit and market strategy and municipal capital markets at Oppenheimer & Co.

Muni issuers are staunchly opposed to what they characterize as an unfunded mandate that provides limited benefits.

Total volume in 2022 was at $389.094 billion in 9,123 deals, down 19.5% from the $483.358 billion in 13,130 deals in 2021, according to Refinitiv data.

The transportation bond sector may see the greatest growth in 2023 as a result of the infrastructure act, one analyst said.

"This peculiar shape of the muni yield curve has created a conundrum for investors, as all high-quality municipal bonds, with the possible exception of the long end, have become quite rich," Barclays strategists said.