Now is the time to nab solid yields in these tax-free bonds. Here's why
Municipal Bond Market Outlook: Municipal bond investors may see a favorable second half of the year as recovery from April's selloff continues, with Bank of America and BlackRock suggesting that current yields present a buying opportunity due to expected positive shifts in the market.
Investment Strategy Recommendations: Experts advise selectivity in investments, favoring higher-quality bonds and employing a barbell strategy, while also noting that macroeconomic uncertainties and changing supply-demand dynamics could enhance performance in the municipal bond sector.
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Analyst Views on MUB
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Explore the New-Issue Muni Bond Market for Increased Returns
Current Performance of Municipal Bonds: The municipal bond market is not yielding standout returns recently, particularly for those not in a high tax bracket.
Comparison with Treasuries: After-tax yields on municipal bonds are not significantly higher than those of Treasuries, making them less attractive for many investors.
Long-Term Muni Bonds: Investing in long-term municipal bonds carries considerable interest-rate risk, which may deter some investors.
Yield of Major Muni Fund: The iShares National Muni Bond ETF, the largest muni index fund, currently yields 3.3%, comparable to about 5% for taxable bond funds.
Top Income Opportunities for 2026: Dividend Stocks, Energy Pipelines, and More Recommended Choices
- Bond Market Performance: The bond market experienced its best year since 2020, surprising income investors who were losing hope.
- Future Outlook: Despite some emerging risks, the outlook for the bond market in 2026 remains positive.
BlackRock Predicts November May Be the Top Month of 2023 for Municipal Bonds
Strong Performance of Municipal Bonds: BlackRock anticipates a strong month for municipal bonds in November, historically the best month for returns, with an average total return of 1.26% over the past decade. The firm expects similar trends to continue into 2025, supported by a decline in issuance and favorable market conditions.
Tax Advantages and Attractive Yields: Municipal bonds are favored by wealthy investors due to their tax-exempt status, with current yields offering attractive returns, particularly for high-income earners in high-tax states. The iShares National Muni Bond ETF has a 3.33% yield, potentially equating to nearly 6% for top tax bracket earners.
Investment Strategy and Focus Areas: BlackRock's investment strategy includes a barbell yield-curve approach, focusing on high-quality municipal bonds in sectors like transportation, housing, and corporate munis. The firm prioritizes issuers with strong financial fundamentals and manageable debt levels.
Selective Investments and Risk Management: The firm is overweight on prepaid gas munis and housing bonds, emphasizing investments with reliable revenue sources. BlackRock also considers risks related to counterparties and structural factors, ensuring a focus on high-quality issuers and stringent bond documentation.
Initial Week of MUB Options Trading for December 19th
Put Contract Overview: The $102.00 put contract has a bid of 5 cents, allowing investors to buy MUB shares at a cost basis of $101.95, which is a 5% discount from the current price of $107.65. There is a 95% chance the contract may expire worthless, offering a potential 0.05% return on cash commitment.
Call Contract Overview: The $109.00 call contract has a bid of 10 cents, enabling investors to sell MUB shares at that price after purchasing them at $107.65. If exercised, it would yield a total return of 1.35%, but there is a 62% chance it may expire worthless, allowing investors to keep both the shares and the premium.
YieldBoost Calculation: If the put contract expires worthless, it would provide a YieldBoost of 0.34% annualized, while the covered call contract would offer a YieldBoost of 0.65% annualized if it also expires worthless.
Volatility Insights: The implied volatility for both the put and call contracts is around 9%, while the actual trailing twelve-month volatility is calculated at 5%, based on the last 250 trading days.
MUB: Alert on ETF Inflows
MUB Share Price Analysis: MUB's current share price is $107.65, with a 52-week low of $100.29 and a high of $108.60, indicating a stable trading range.
Understanding ETFs: Exchange traded funds (ETFs) function like stocks, where investors buy and sell "units" that can be created or destroyed based on demand.
Monitoring ETF Flows: Weekly monitoring of shares outstanding helps identify ETFs with significant inflows (new units created) or outflows (units destroyed), impacting the underlying assets.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Nasdaq, Inc.
Major municipal market website allegedly affected by ransomware attack
Ransomware Attack Impact: MuniOS.com, a crucial platform for the $4.3 trillion municipal bond market, has been incapacitated by a ransomware attack, affecting thousands of borrowers and investors who rely on it for transaction information.
Alternative Solutions: The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board has advised issuers to use its EMMA website for posting preliminary official statements and other market information during the MuniOS.com outage, although it did not address the service disruption directly.
Explore the New-Issue Muni Bond Market for Increased Returns
Current Performance of Municipal Bonds: The municipal bond market is not yielding standout returns recently, particularly for those not in a high tax bracket.
Comparison with Treasuries: After-tax yields on municipal bonds are not significantly higher than those of Treasuries, making them less attractive for many investors.
Long-Term Muni Bonds: Investing in long-term municipal bonds carries considerable interest-rate risk, which may deter some investors.
Yield of Major Muni Fund: The iShares National Muni Bond ETF, the largest muni index fund, currently yields 3.3%, comparable to about 5% for taxable bond funds.
Top Income Opportunities for 2026: Dividend Stocks, Energy Pipelines, and More Recommended Choices
- Bond Market Performance: The bond market experienced its best year since 2020, surprising income investors who were losing hope.
- Future Outlook: Despite some emerging risks, the outlook for the bond market in 2026 remains positive.
BlackRock Predicts November May Be the Top Month of 2023 for Municipal Bonds
Strong Performance of Municipal Bonds: BlackRock anticipates a strong month for municipal bonds in November, historically the best month for returns, with an average total return of 1.26% over the past decade. The firm expects similar trends to continue into 2025, supported by a decline in issuance and favorable market conditions.
Tax Advantages and Attractive Yields: Municipal bonds are favored by wealthy investors due to their tax-exempt status, with current yields offering attractive returns, particularly for high-income earners in high-tax states. The iShares National Muni Bond ETF has a 3.33% yield, potentially equating to nearly 6% for top tax bracket earners.
Investment Strategy and Focus Areas: BlackRock's investment strategy includes a barbell yield-curve approach, focusing on high-quality municipal bonds in sectors like transportation, housing, and corporate munis. The firm prioritizes issuers with strong financial fundamentals and manageable debt levels.
Selective Investments and Risk Management: The firm is overweight on prepaid gas munis and housing bonds, emphasizing investments with reliable revenue sources. BlackRock also considers risks related to counterparties and structural factors, ensuring a focus on high-quality issuers and stringent bond documentation.
Initial Week of MUB Options Trading for December 19th
Put Contract Overview: The $102.00 put contract has a bid of 5 cents, allowing investors to buy MUB shares at a cost basis of $101.95, which is a 5% discount from the current price of $107.65. There is a 95% chance the contract may expire worthless, offering a potential 0.05% return on cash commitment.
Call Contract Overview: The $109.00 call contract has a bid of 10 cents, enabling investors to sell MUB shares at that price after purchasing them at $107.65. If exercised, it would yield a total return of 1.35%, but there is a 62% chance it may expire worthless, allowing investors to keep both the shares and the premium.
YieldBoost Calculation: If the put contract expires worthless, it would provide a YieldBoost of 0.34% annualized, while the covered call contract would offer a YieldBoost of 0.65% annualized if it also expires worthless.
Volatility Insights: The implied volatility for both the put and call contracts is around 9%, while the actual trailing twelve-month volatility is calculated at 5%, based on the last 250 trading days.
MUB: Alert on ETF Inflows
MUB Share Price Analysis: MUB's current share price is $107.65, with a 52-week low of $100.29 and a high of $108.60, indicating a stable trading range.
Understanding ETFs: Exchange traded funds (ETFs) function like stocks, where investors buy and sell "units" that can be created or destroyed based on demand.
Monitoring ETF Flows: Weekly monitoring of shares outstanding helps identify ETFs with significant inflows (new units created) or outflows (units destroyed), impacting the underlying assets.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent Nasdaq, Inc.
Major municipal market website allegedly affected by ransomware attack
Ransomware Attack Impact: MuniOS.com, a crucial platform for the $4.3 trillion municipal bond market, has been incapacitated by a ransomware attack, affecting thousands of borrowers and investors who rely on it for transaction information.
Alternative Solutions: The Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board has advised issuers to use its EMMA website for posting preliminary official statements and other market information during the MuniOS.com outage, although it did not address the service disruption directly.
