Primary bond market

The pace of the issuance and the increase of refundings, surging 59.6% in the first quarter of 2024, have also led some firms to up their overall 2024 issuance projections.

Despite an S&P rating upgrade ahead of this week's GO bond deal, Louisiana paid a wider spread to a 10-year benchmark than it did a year ago. Longer maturities saw tighter spreads on from a year ago.

"The news is sparking an equity market selloff while sending bond yields to the stars as investors dial down their Fed easing expectations again, this time to only two rate cuts this year," said José Torres, senior economist at Interactive Brokers.

"DASNY's financing, construction and grants management on behalf of science, health and educational not-for-profits [are] the foundation for stronger, inclusive and more sustainable communities across the state of New York," said Robert J. Rodriguez.

Wednesday's CPI report will "shed more light on the path of inflation and the potential timing for rate cuts this year," said Cooper Howard, a fixed income strategist at Charles Schwab.

The deal comes amid market inflows and a dearth of high-yield supply, but demand will depend, as always, on the price, investors said.

Muni to UST ratios also continue to rise across the curve, inching closer to more normal averages.

As another economic indicator pushed investors closer toward the assumption that rate cuts are farther away, the relationship between munis, USTs and the vast amount of capital sitting on the sidelines becomes more challenging to navigate, particularly ahead of the tax-filing deadline and growing new-issue calendar.

Instead of her original proposal, Miami-Dade County Mayor Levine Cava said she will work toward crafting an even larger bonding plan that will also include money for transit projects.

Some buying returned to the market Thursday from the buy-side and asset managers as dealers attempted to sell bonds, said Chris Brigati, senior vice president and director of strategic planning and fixed income research at SWBC.