Primary bond market

Coming off last week's $19.5 million influx of weekly new issues, supply this week is lower as the market watches the Federal Open Market Committee meeting.

There are $8.127 billion of negotiated deals on tap and a mere $367.4 million of competitive loans slated, none over $100 million. Thirty-day visible supply totals $9.9 billion and net negative supply is at $8.4 billion.

Chicago's captured a new low in recent history on tax-exempt spreads but the taxables, which were downsized by $500 million, faced a tougher road amid Treasury volatility.

State officials will wrap up a busy year a sale that includes a social bonds component.

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.

"The vast majority of muni issuers are trying to do the right thing,” Zehner said. “The vast majority of underwriters and municipal advisors are trying to do the right thing.”

The Investment Company Institute reported $289 million of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds in the week ending Dec. 1, down from $965 million in the previous week.

Thirty-day visible supply drops to $13.54 billion with still a large chunk of new issues to be priced Wednesday and Thursday.

Chicago's long-planned refinancing was led by a GO tranche priced Tuesday with spreads of 33 to 86 basis points, and follows with the Sales Tax Securitization piece Wednesday.

The municipal market is poised to absorb the late-year burst of supply as market technicals are expected to remain positive through year end.

Much of the Oregon Health & Science University deal funds a hospital expansion, but it also includes a tender exchange and a privately placed forward refunding.

The weaker-than-expected employment report sent U.S. Treasury yields lower and equities sold off. Munis did what they've been doing — mostly ignored it.

Refinitiv Lipper reported a significant drop in municipal bond mutual fund inflows at $36 million in the latest week, a signal the volatility of other markets may be creeping in. High-yield saw $53 million of inflows.

The Investment Company Institute reported $974 million of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds in the week ending Nov. 23, down from $1.430 billion in the previous week.

Powell says the FOMC will consider ramping up tapering when more information about Omicron and its impacts are known, further flattening the UST yield curve.

Economists appear to be less concerned about Omicron, with some saying that even if the variant causes another pandemic wave, it is more likely to "slow rather than interrupt" the global economic recovery.

A majority of firms anticipate less volume in 2022 than the record hit in 2020, but how policies from Washington and the path of overall economic activity in a still-recovering global economy with COVID overhang make predicting volume more difficult.

ICI reported $1.43 billion of inflows into municipal bond mutual funds in the week ending Nov. 17, down from $1.61 billion in the previous week.

The Thanksgiving holiday-shortened week, next-to-no supply and few economic data releases should keep munis steady.

Month over month, the municipal market is in a much better position, as heavy demand and flows continue to drive it.