Primary bond market

Michael Chalker, portfolio manager and senior analyst at LM Capital Group, talks with Chip Barnett about the fixed-income markets and the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. (16 minutes)

Illinois will borrow $2 billion through the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility to help manage its 2021 budget gap. The state previously borrowed $1.2 billion from the MLF for its fiscal 2020 pandemic hole.

The Investment Company Institute reported municipal bond funds saw $2.675 billion of inflows in the latest reporting week.

Fitch Ratings cited concerns about LADWP's debt leverage in setting a negative outlook.

Sources said the JFK deal was massively oversubscribed, allowing underwriters to lower yields from 15 to 45 basis points.

Municipals held firm ahead of this week's new issue slate, which features deals from issuers in New York and Texas. Treasuries weakened as stocks rose on positive coronavirus news.

Selling in a week with an expected light calendar should help the deal as will market fundamentals.

Municipals continue to rally as market participants get ready to head into a quiet holiday week.

Large blocks of New Jersey paper changed hands with yields that pushed spreads below 100 basis points on some maturities for the recently downgraded state.

Sarah Mitchell, CFA and a portfolio manager at Mondrian Investment Partners, talks with Chip Barnett about one of the hottest sectors in the municipal bond market today – green bonds – and the possibility of the U.S. government issuing a sovereign green bond. (20 minutes)