Primary bond market

Municipals returned 0.83% in July with a year-to-date return of 1.90%. High-yield returned 1.20% in July and 7.40% year-to-date. Taxables led July with 1.65% returns and 1.95% for the year.

Michigan is bringing $855 million of state trunk line fund bonds to market Tuesday for road and bridge projects.

The city sees room for a new convention hotel, despite nearby competition and pandemic-related setbacks.

Muni participants await a new month with growing issuance, but perhaps not quite enough as issuers are hesitant to add more debt before final word from Washington on infrastructure.

July volume was $31.9 billion keeping the annual pace ahead of last year's record-breaking total. Issuance still lags demand by a large amount — $60 billion by many accounts for August alone — as redemptions coupon payments pile up.

Washington GOs came at tighter spreads than a spring sale in the competitive market while sizable negotiated deals saw bumps in repricings. Refinitiv Lipper reported $1.4 billion of inflows in the 21st consecutive week.

The massive summer reinvestment into municipal bond mutual funds continue and are both sustaining the strength of investor demand and solidifying the technical footing of the market.

The economy continues to recover, with durable goods orders and consumer confidence suggesting strength, but concerns about the Delta variant of COVID-19 and continued supply-chain problems cloud the future outlook.

With municipal yields at exceedingly low absolute levels, the spread tightening between credits also continues.

The last week of July marks a lighter calendar while August redemptions are huge compared to the expected supply. Investors need to get in line and likely accept lower yields and continued historically low ratios.