Primary bond market

Municipal bond mutual fund saw inflows with Refinitiv Lipper on Thursday reporting investors added $552.219 million to funds for the week ending Wednesday following $1.040 billion of outflows the previous week.

The Investment Company Institute reported investors added $453 million to municipal bond mutual funds in the week ending July 19, after $111 million of inflows the previous week.

The offered side "has continued to pack the primary market with value to manage their (and the market's) potential downside if disruption did occur; this also helps the context for muni buyers headed into the Fed," said Matt Fabian, partner at Municipal Market Analytics.

"Longer-dated bonds look attractive, as investors are locking in long-term rates before the expected decline in 2024," while "a tremendous amount of money is also invested in the short end of the curve," Nuveen strategists said.

Proceeds of the $178 million Series 2023 capital asset acquisition obligation bonds will finance programs for the county's general government and departments.

Washington will bring $1.1 billion of GOs in four competitive sales Tuesday, leading a new-issue calendar estimated at $5.439 billion.

Municipal bond mutual fund saw inflows with Refinitiv Lipper reporting investors added $1.040 billion to funds for the week ending Wednesday following $136.174 million of outflows the previous week.

The Investment Company Institute reported investors added $111 million to municipal bond mutual funds in the week ending July 12, after $ 23 million of outflows the previous week.

The back half of July is starting "much like the front half with ongoing UST volatility and municipal supply staying in the forefront," said Kim Olsan, senior vice president of municipal bond trading at FHN Financial.

Long-duration and shorter-coupon munis saw ample demand last week. Investors, believing rates will fall as early as the first part of next year, continue to lock in long-bond yields, Nuveen strategists said.