Taxable bonds dominate week’s negotiated calendar

VOICEOVER: Municipal bond buyers will get their first big taste of new supply this week as competitive sales from Massachusetts along with several taxable deals in the negotiated sector are set to come to market. After a week that saw few offerings hit the screens, the calendar perks up and investors will see about $3.3 billion of volume hit the market.

Buyer demand is expected to remain robust for all the issues offered as analysts see volume at lower-than-average levels for most of the first quarter. That’s because so much supply already hit the screens last month in an end of the year rush to market that many issuers made to beat the clock before tax law changes took effect in January.

This week, Massachusetts is offering $600 million of general obligation bonds in two separate sales while in the negotiated sector, taxable bonds dominate. Stanford Health Care, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority and the Illinois Finance Authority are all offering taxable bonds to buyers.

I’m Chip Barnett, and this is your Muni Minute.