Primary bond market

The high-yield deal will mark the junk-rated city's third post-bankruptcy general obligation issue on its own credit, without any external support.

ICI reported another $2.3 billion of inflows, new deals continue the march to lower yields and benchmarks rose a basis point seven years and out for the first time since the beginning of December.

The state of Illinois sold $2 billion of three-year notes to the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility at 3.42%.

The municipal market can best be described as a "Goldilocks market" due to accommodative federal monetary policy, strong demand and limited supply, bond director Ben Watkins told the Cabinet.

Even with COVID-19-related shutdowns — a New York City lockdown may be imminent — issuers are pricing bonds into an extremely low-rate environment.

New York State's short-term revenue losses, resulting from coronavirus shutdowns, won't curb enthusiam for the Empire State Development Corp.'s offering, according to market sources.

The LBJ Infrastructure Group, operator of managed lanes on a Dallas highway, will sell $1.2 billion of bonds through a conduit issuer.

Munis firmed Friday, only the second time in December they weren't flat, and more than a few participants are waiting on yields to rise before getting involved, particularly given the rich muni/treasury ratios and low absolute yields.

Pinned into a corner from the economic effects of COVID-19, the mass transit agency tapped its remaining amount available through the Municipal Liquidity Facility, which expires at year's end.

Wisconsin will use new pools for negotiated transactions starting next year

Bid list volume is trending higher into the end of the year, but its share as measured against overall high demand does not pose much of a threat, analysts say. Refinitiv Lipper reports $992 million of inflows.

The largest tranche of the deal, $706 million with a 5% coupon in 2047, yielded 4.15%, a 275 basis point spread over triple-A paper.

COVID-19 brought the primary to a standstill in March and April. The municipal market is now set to eclipse $450 billion of issuance in 2020, a record.

The state will use debt service savings from the refunding side of the deal for near-term budget relief; the deal includes its first taxable refunding bonds.

Muni benchmarks were steady while new deals re-priced to lower yields in a tale of two markets. ICI reported more inflows.

Strong technicals, low supply, yield-seekers keep munis outperforming.

The primary's diversity of credits and size relative to November has grown, but it is just not enough to push yields higher as redemptions flood the market. Some analysts still say a mild correction at least is due.

A heavier calendar still will not fulfill the $20 billion-plus of December redemptions. Muni/UST 10-year ratios fell to 74% as the UST 10-year came closer to 1.00%.

Difficulty tracking securities means a harder time for investors to understand their credit risk during the pandemic.

Refinitiv Lipper reported inflows of net $201 million for the week ending Dec. 2, down from $386 million the week prior.