Muni Minute: Deals a poppin’ in the primary

The municipal bond market is getting treated to the one of the biggest new issue calendars of 2017. This week’s $11.8 billion deal slate is the second largest of the year, and is filled with a variety of offerings to satisfy high-yield and high-quality buyers alike.

BARNETT: It’ll be deals a poppin’ this week as the municipal bond market gets treated to the one of the largest new issue calendars of 2017. This week’s $11.8 billion new issue slate is the second biggest of the year, ranking just behind the $13.7 billion sold the week of January 16. Traders will be treated to a potpourri of offerings including some new deals from the states of Georgia, Alabama and Massachusetts and the cities of New York and Chicago and to one leftover - a sale for the entertainment complex in New Jersey known as the American Dream.

Ratings range the gamut, from the highest like Georgia’s across-the-board triple-As to the American Dream deal which is unrated. The biggest offerings of the week are coming out from the Peach state and the Big Apple. The state of Georgia is putting $1.4 billion of bonds out for the bid in four separate sales while New York City’s Transitional Finance Authority plans to issue about $850 million of bonds in a negotiated deal while offering $250 million in two competitive sales. After running on empty for most of the year, the market will get its fill of bonds this week.

I’m Chip Barnett and this has been your BB Muni Minute.