BAF News and Press, BlackRock Municipal Income Investment Quality Trust From 07/01/21

Faced with higher inflation numbers, the Federal Reserve has begun to create more meaningful parameters around its evolving stance on monetary policy. Although the changes could be less dramatic than many expect, we believe that investors should be prepared for higher market volatilit...

The second quarter of 2021 saw a drop in US Treasury yields, as well as in high-grade tax-free bond yields. The quarter in general was one that saw continued increases in month-over-month inflation but little real reaction in the bond markets. The Federal Reserve has continued to ...

The potential for higher U.S. taxes, coupled with regulatory risks and shifting growth momentum, tempers our near-term enthusiasm for U.S. equities. Euro area business activity surged in June as the region catches up on the restart that has been led by the U.S. and UK. Investors w...

During the fund flows week, investors continued their search for yield, injecting a net $2.0 billion and $1.9 billion into taxable bond funds (including ETFs) and municipal bond funds, respectively. On the taxable side, Short Investment-Grade Debt Funds (+$884 million) attracted the l...

With the post-pandemic US economy on the mend, a new threat has emerged: inflation. A confluence of pent-up consumer demand, record household savings, low inventories and global shortages has ignited the sharpest near-term price hikes in decades. Effective inflation-protection str...

Municipals posted another month of positive performance amid range-bound interest rates. Fiscal stimulus and infrastructure uncertainty limited municipal issuance. Summer seasonal supply-demand dynamics have historically boded well for muni performance. For further details s...

Risk-adjusted performance for the Global Market Index (GMI) continued to tick higher in May. GMI’s Sharpe ratio — a measure of risk-adjusted return – rose to 0.82 on a trailing 10-year basis through last month. That’s close to a pandemic high, but still...

Average yields on 10-year AAA muni bonds rose less than half that of Treasuries year to date and hover just below 1%. Municipals remain attractive due to a combination of prevailing tailwinds and long-term fundamental strengths. Muni bonds cover a wide range of maturities and qual...

Munis posted another strong month amid falling rates and favorable market dynamics. Seasonal weakness typical of mid-April was averted due to the delayed tax-filing deadline. Although valuations appear rich, economic and political themes look positive for municipals. For fur...

Diversification remains key. Flexible strategies can also take advantage of a more uncertain yield and spread environment. We continue to find reasonable opportunity in both public and private credit markets. We find value in non-agency mortgages and prefer cyclicals to growth sto...