International taxes

The tax exemption is in the eye of a legislative storm to extend President Donald Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but is it only the start of what's to come?

Industry leaders at The Bond Buyer's Texas Public Finance event discuss how tax policy threats, tariffs, and federal budget cuts could create a new paradigm for muni borrowing costs and credit resilience.

The $500 million deal was delayed after the tariff announcement rocked the markets. It has priced, but offering documents include new trade war disclosures.

Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration are already affecting port operations as Moody's has revised the U.S. ports sector to a negative outlook reflecting an expected 7%-12% decline in volume.

The lawsuit contends that only Congress has the power to set tariffs that the president has unilaterally increased.

The Federal Reserve governor remains optimistic about tariffs being a one-time shock to prices, but the central bank still needs more clarity about what the policies will look like.

The International Monetary Fund lowered its economic growth projections for 2025, citing policy uncertainty. It also urged central banks to stand ready to use macroprudential tools to facilitate lending in a potential recession.

Just as the economy could become topsy turvy, so could the municipal market.

The lawsuit argues the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump invoked to impose tariffs does not grant the president the ability to unilaterally adopt tariffs on goods imported to the U.S.

Jason Appleson of PGIM Fixed Income chats with Caitlin Devitt to break down the biggest factors shaping the muni market today, and how institutional investors are preparing for what's next.

The firmness in the market Monday came from a "settling down" after one of its most volatile weeks since the pandemic, said Cooper Howard of Charles Schwab.

States could face some difficult times ahead, experts say.

New York's capital needs mean the city cannot afford to be picky about market timing for bond deals, said Jay Olson, deputy comptroller for public finance. 

Friday saw munis sell off once more with yields cut 17 to 28 basis points, pushing muni-UST ratios higher but not quite reaching Wednesday's levels.

"Anytime you get a market off 50 basis points in a day, the bulk of that move is being driven by fast money and the fast money is in ETFs," said Michael Pietronico, CEO at Miller Tabak Asset Management.

Yields rose significantly for the fourth time this week as the aftereffects of President Donald Trump's tariffs continue to plague the financial markets.

"The discussion about policies regarding tariffs will drive performance in bonds over the next three to six months," said Michael Pietronico, CEO of Miller Tabak Asset Management.

From 90 basis points of movement in three days to rising ETF influence and potential tax status changes to municipal securities, this timely discussion from Thursday's Texas Public Finance event features real-time analysis and sharp insights from muni leaders at Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, Nuveen, Truist, and PFM.

Speaking live at The Bond Buyer's Texas Public Finance Conference in Austin, leading muni voices broke down the historic rate swings that rocked the market this week, the growing impact of investor behavior, and the uncertain path ahead for tax policy — offering candid assessments, sharp data points, and diverging views on what investors and other market participants should expect next.

Triple-A muni yields plummeted up to 50 basis points Thursday in a dramatic reversal from the week's earlier collapse. Speaking live at The Bond Buyer's Texas Public Finance event, market leaders painted a picture of extreme volatility, impaired liquidity, and an uncertain path forward.