Washington

Despite the post-election selloff, inflows continued this week as LSEG Lipper reported investors added $1.263 billion to municipal bond mutual funds for the week ending Wednesday, compared to $658.5 million of inflows the prior week. High-yield inflows returned.

Unless the state government makes changes to taxes or spending, there will be deficits of $587 million to more than $800 million starting in the next fiscal year.

"If the GOP wins the House, the specter of risk to the municipal bond tax-exemption will increase," said Edwin Oswald, a tax partner at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe in Washington D.C.

With the rollout of a new final EPA rule, Midwest municipalities are seeking ways to finance lead pipe replacement efforts, including through revenue bonds.

It was still unclear early Wednesday whether Democrats would take control of the House.

While this meeting is a slam dunk, the election and data makes the December meeting more of a question, some analysts said.

Potential new Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, has suggested a potential workaround to offset the cost of extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Fitch Ratings ranks the credit as AA, up from AA-minus.

The increase in the muni market's size, number of novel credits and retail investors suggest it's "finally time" for direct SEC regulation, argue market veterans Kent Hiteshew and David Dubrow.

The Federal Reserve began cutting rates in September. The December meeting is its last of 2024. Will the cutting continue, or will there be a pause? Join us live on Dec. 19 at 1 p.m., as Doug Peta, Chief Strategist, U.S. Investment Strategy, at BCA Research, discusses the meeting and future policy.