Mutual funds

Returns are deep in the red with the Bloomberg Municipal Index at negative 1.85%, while high-yield sits at negative 1.81%.

Refinitiv Lipper reported $238.926 million of outflows, but $182.035 million of inflows to high-yield, reversing last week's outflows. New-issues faced concessions.

The Federal Reserve expects Omicron to fizzle in weeks, and while pandemic-related risks remain, the economy is strong and the Fed needs to address inflation and could liftoff as soon as March, Bullard says.

ICI reported $1.101 billion of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds for the last week of 2021. Refinitiv Lipper figures on Thursday may give a sense of investor sentiment for week one of 2022.

Municipal volume is estimated at $1.13 billion for the opening week of 2022. Persistently strong net supply challenges will bias credit spreads tighter, credit discipline weaker in the next few years, analysts say.

2022 volume projections are clouded by many uncertainties. What is not murky is that demand for municipals is unlikely to fade.

Net supply pressure among tax-exempts is expected to worsen in January compared to last year and the move toward richer tax-exempts is unlikely to reverse. "Dealers seem to be acknowledging this looming challenge," MMA notes.

Municipal yield curves were little changed for the seventh straight session while Refinitiv Lipper reported the 40th week of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds, with high-yield seeing a large increase week over week.

Investors put nearly $2 billion into municipal bond mutual funds for the most recent week with high-yield reversing a downward course to hit $1.2 billion following just $1 million a week prior.

The Investment Company Institute reported $657 million of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds while ETFs saw $828 million of inflows, a massive increase over the $43 million reported a week prior.

Municipal bond mutual fund inflows fell to $177 million while high-yield is back to outflows, both signaling selling may be moving the market toward another larger correction.

The Investment Company Institute reported $385 million of inflows while ETFs fell to $124 million.

Another round of inflows was reported from the Investment Company Institute — the 31st consecutive week — but they came in at $308 million for the week ending Oct. 6, the lowest since outflows in March.

Volatility in the U.S. Treasury market continues to pull on municipal bond valuations, despite little trading volume.

For 31 consecutive weeks investors put cash into municipal bond mutual funds but saw just $36.87 million of inflows in the latest reporting period while high-yield funds saw $460 million of outflows after $103 million of outflows a week prior.

ICI reported $704 million of inflows, a $1.1 billion drop from the week prior, bringing the total to $76 billion year to date.

The lower inflows and high-yield outflows can be tied to the correction over the past week and may point to uncertainty from retail investors over broader market volatility.

U.S. Treasuries sold off by double digits while municipals cut levels by one to three basis points. Refinitiv Lipper reported another $1.55 billion of inflows for the 29th consecutive week.

Municipals continue to stay in their own lane. ICI reported $1.4 billion of inflows in the 28th consecutive week.

Municipals have been distracted by the robust primary market and that trend will continue next week when another large new-issue calendar greets investors.