Buy side

Municipal mutual funds reported inflows increased to $663.6 million in the week ended May 22 from $616.5 million of inflows the week before.

The Bond Buyer's muni bond indexes mostly weakened in the week ending May 22.

Tax-exempt money market funds reported inflows of $913.9 million in the week ended May 20, raising total net assets to $258.64 billion according to The Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet.com.

The parched market for municipal bond refundings may get some relief next year as call provisions kick in on debt issued a decade ago, easing a supply squeeze that has caused spreads to tighten this year..

Municipal bond volume will jump to the highest level in four weeks as $5.7 billion is estimted to the priced this week, led by a Missouri transportation financing and a Connecticut general obligation offering that plan to vie for investors' attention as the week's largest deals.

BlackRock Inc. says municipal bonds will extend April's gains as the second quarter progresses, though credit quality concerns remain for investors in Puerto Rico, New Jersey and tobacco bonds.

Municipal bond fund inflows declined in the week ending May 15 as gains by high-yield funds slowed.

The Bond Buyer's muni bond indexes mostly strengthened in the week ending May 15.

Tax-exempt money market funds reported outflows of $1.19 billion in the week ended May 12, cutting total net assets to $257.73 billion according to The Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet.com.

Construction on the $1.8 billion partially bond-financed Iowa Fertilizer Co. project is slightly behind schedule due to the harsh winter but the project is making "timely progress" and commodity price expectations remain on target, according to Fitch Ratings.

A pair of turnpike revenue offerings from New Jersey and Pennsylvania will give the primary market a lift this week, helping alleviate supply concerns ahead of spring reinvestment season, municipal experts said.

Tobacco bonds have lured investors with some of the highest returns in the muni market this year, raising concern among strategists that traditional municipal bond investors' are taking on too much risk.

The Bond Buyer's muni bond indexes mostly strengthened in the week ending May 8.

Municipal mutual funds reported inflows increased to $943.23 million in the week ended May 8 from $26.38 million of outflows the week before.

After three weeks of heavy outflows, tax-exempt money market funds gained a modest $1.29 billion in the week ended May 5, as total net assets rose to $258.91 billion, according to The Money Fund Report, a service of iMoneyNet.com.

McGraw Hill Financial's S&P Capital IQ has partnered with Tradeweb Direct to launch Odd-Lot Valuations, a pricing service that joins a growing number of efforts aimed at improving transparency in odd-lot bond trades.

Muni pros are adding yield and diversification to their portfolios, taking advantage of historically-attractive returns in the high yield sector that continue to be available amid growing concerns over rising interest rates and anemic supply.

Large public funds tracked by the Wilshire Trust Universe Comparison Service outperformed small ones in the first quarter of 2014.

A $450 million Illinois toll road financing, and a $255 million note deal for a New Jersey stadium project will do little to resuscitate the new-issue market this week as volume is expected to fall by more than one third from last week's total.

Barclays Capital sees value in standalone Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle bonds now that yields have risen over concerns about potential shortfalls in U.S. highway funding.