MQT News and Press, Blackrock MuniYield Quality Fund II Inc. From 04/10/21

The recent passage of US President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, "The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021," not only includes checks for individuals, but also allocates funds for state and local governments. The new relief package allots $195.3 billion for states, te...

Are we going to go back to the past, as economies around the world open and vaccinations and herd immunity take hold? At Cumberland Advisors, we see less near-term municipal credit risk, but we are a little cautious of weaker sectors and regions that may not receive aid or that have h...

Rising interest rates drove negative muni bond performance in February. Rich muni bond valuations recalibrated, considerably re-setting muni-to-Treasury ratios. As markets often overcorrect, a continued sell-off could create an attractive buying opportunity. For further deta...

Stronger fundamentals, undervalued segments and an improving economic outlook point to renewed potential for municipal bonds in 2021. Multiple catalysts fuel our optimism, including the probability of higher taxes, the likelihood of renewed fiscal stimulus and the potential for contin...

The swift run-up in asset prices and CEF discounts suggests that easy gains from beta exposure are going to be harder to come by going forward. This dynamic points to alpha strategies as a way to keep total returns humming along. One such strategy - CEF rotations - involves rotati...

Global manufacturing PMI buoyed by further strong gains in production. Robust growth seen in the US, Eurozone, India and Brazil despite supply chain delays close to record high. Expansion limited by further slowdown in China, in turn linked to shipping and logistics problems. ...

Technicals and politics kept muni returns resilient to government rate rises... until now. While Treasuries have been selling off (pushing up their yields) on the reopening of the economy and inflation expectations, municipal bonds (munis) had remained resilient. For potentially m...

Why the run-up in rates has troubled equity markets more than credit, and why we think that is poised to continue. Since the start of the fourth quarter of 2020, the U.S. 10-year yield has risen by more than 80 basis points while the spread of the ICE Bank of America U.S. Corporate BB...

As an investor, municipal bonds could offer you tax-exempt income, which can carry more attractive advantages if current tax rates increase, and higher income-generating capabilities after accounting for tax. Don't let market-wide panic disrupt your investment plan. As an investor, mu...

Strong performance has continued to stretch rich muni bond valuations. We expect strong demand to continue outpacing elevated supply. Additional fiscal aid and vaccine distribution could support fundamentals. For further details see: Munis Off To A Running Start