City of Houston, TX

Bond traders and buyers will keep an eye on rising yields as the municipal bond market sees a smaller than average primary slate scheduled for sale next week.

Municipal bonds strengthened Tuesday as the primary market shifted to holiday mode after breaking the December record for issuance.

The municipal market will be staffed by skeleton crews as the calendar has no negotiated deals and only small competitives, which don't even total $3 million — and another long holiday weekend right around the corner.

The city of Houston can move forward with its plan to sell $1 billion in bonds on Friday as part of Mayor Sylvester Turner's landmark pension reform passed by the Texas Legislature earlier this year, a judge ruled.

The muni market absorbed almost $58 billion, a record for December, before a holiday hiatus to end the year.

The long holiday weekend comes at a perfect time for tired muni market participants after a furious few weeks of action spurred by tax reform.

The two largest deals of the week touched down, as yields rose with comprehensive tax reform just a few President Trump pen strokes away from becoming official.

The primary market is still waiting for the last few deals of the week to hit, as both the holiday weekend and tax bill becoming law draw closer.

Only a handful of larger deals remain for pricing in the market on Wednesday, as comprehensive tax reform is imminent.

Breakneck action continued in the primary market as issuers flooded the market ahead of the tax reform vote, in order to get deals closed before the end of the year.