Primary bond market

Fed Chair Jerome Powell's message on rates last week combined with seasonal factors to give the market a "weird" vibe this week, one trader said.

The authority maintained positive rating momentum by drawing outlook changes from Moody's on both its water and sewer bonds and from Fitch on its sewer debt.

UBS was the only bank that underwrites municipal bonds on the list of 10 financial companies determined to be boycotting energy businesses under a Texas law aimed at protecting the state's oil and natural gas industry.

Investors will be greeted Monday with decreased supply with the new-issue calendar estimated at $5.882 billion, down from total sales of $6.134 billion in the week of Aug. 22.

Outflows from municipal bond mutual funds continued as investors pulled $1.180 billion out of funds in the latest week, according to Refinitiv Lipper data.

"It was a misguided effort from the beginning to ever use the Bond Commission and any of the work that it does to send a political message to anyone for any reason," said Gov. John Bel Edwards.

The Investment Company Institute reported $230 million of inflows into muni bond mutual funds in the week ending August 17. ETFs see second week of outflows.

Don't expect much new information to come from Jackson Hole this year analysts say, as the data-dependent FOMC will rely on incoming economic numbers in September to decide the proper size rate hike.

Losses for August climbed last week, with month-to-date returns in the red at negative 1.40% on the Bloomberg muni index, high-yield seeing 0.99% losses, taxables at 2.01% losses and the impact index losing 1.70%.

Investors will be greeted Monday with a decrease in supply with the new-issue calendar estimated at $6.711 billion, down from total sales of $10.318 billion.