Primary bond market

Top quality municipal bonds finished mixed on Monday, according to traders as the first of the week’s big new issues came to market out of the Midwest.

On a quiet Monday where there is only one deal pricing for retail investors, municipals were mixed although some maturities on the long end were as much as one basis point higher, according to traders.

The municipal bond market is gearing up for about $7.3 billion of new supply this week, with $2.51 of that coming from two issuers.

Primary municipal bond market volume is expected to inch up to $7.3 billion, as analysts expect the muni market to stay on a path of suppressed supply and deep demand.

Municipal bonds turned weaker at midday as the market looks ahead to next week’s healthy new issue calendar.

Little activity is expected in the municipal bond market ahead of next week’s new issue slate.

In the week ended Aug. 3, the weekly average yield to maturity of the Bond Buyer Municipal Bond Index was unchanged at 4.02% from the previous week. The BB40 Index is based on the price of 40 long-term bonds.

Top quality municipal bonds ended stronger on Thursday, traders said, as the last of the week’s big deals hit the screens.

The Terre Haute Board of Sanitary Commissioners on Tuesday began an $85 million bond issue for the second phase of a long-term combined sewer overflow plan.

The Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, aided by a recent bond rating upgrade from Standard and Poor's Rating Service, has been able to refinance debt and issue new revenue bonds for millions of dollars in long-term savings.

Councilman J.Ross Lacy will present a smaller road bond plan to the Midland City Council Tuesday.

The St. Joseph City Council approved $67 million bond issuance from the state of Missouri's Direct Loan program to fund the Blacksnake Creek project.

Top quality municipal bonds were stronger at mid-session, traders said, as the last of the week’s big deals hit the screens.

Municipal bond traders are set to see the last of the week’s big deals hit the screens as several large competitive deals remain on tap.

Municipal bonds finished mixed in secondary trading Wednesday, while a big North Carolina bond deal priced Massachusetts sold several large note offerings in the primary.

Action got started right away on Wednesday, as the big North Carolina bond deal priced early on Wednesday, while muni yields are unchanged to slightly lower.

The big North Carolina bond deal priced early on Wednesday while traders are set to see the large Massachusetts note offerings go out for the bid later in the day.

Houston City Council approved a capital projects plan Wednesday that envisions a November bond election to help support billions of dollars in improvements over the next five years.

The Austin school board in November will place before voters a single $1.1 billion bond proposition, a departure from previous bond elections when the district tried to hedge its bets.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has concluded its investigation of the West Contra Costa Unified School District's bond program without any sanctions, the agency announced.