Market Commentaries

Municipal Market Update| Pick Your Spots

March 2024

Persistently low supply met with sturdy demand is keeping municipal yields at bay, even as Fed rate cut projections get kicked further and further out the calendar. The nature of the demand has created a tale of two municipalities along the yield curve …


Two Strategies for Today’s Municipal Market

December 2023

Here are two portfolio strategies we find attractive in today’s municipal market: Tax loss swaps Discount bonds[1] trading at relatively attractive yields Tax Loss Swaps Selling bonds is an infrequent exercise for most income-oriented investors. Howeve …


Are the Bond Vigilantes Back?

October 2023

Yields moved up precipitously during the month of September as the AAA rated 10-year municipal has moved from 2.85% on August 31st to 3.52%[1] today. 3.52% is equivalent to a taxable rate of 5.58% calculated at the 37% bracket. This bond selloff (highe …


Market Anxiety From One D-Word to Another

May 2023

Moody’s “Corporate Default Rate to Breach Historical Levels” Three of four of the largest U.S. bank failures have occurred in the past two months Capital One: “Credit Card Delinquencies Test Multi-Year Highs as Job Market Faces ‘Material’ Worsening. Po …


On Recent Market Turmoil and the Safety of Your Assets

March 2023

On Recent Market Turmoil and the Safety of Your Assets The market volatility over the last two weeks has occurred across a broad section of financial markets with varying levels of severity. And this dynamic is likely to remain present for some time as …


Municipal Market Update: The Best Defense is a Good Defense

December 2022

The Fed on Wednesday raised its target range for the Fed Funds Rate by 50 basis points (0.50%) to 4.25%-4.50%. The Fed Funds Rate (FFR) most directly impacts short term treasury rates, while bonds 5-years and beyond are primarily priced based on market …


Perspective for Advisors | Tax Loss Swap into a SMA

September 2022

The market rout of 2022 has left few asset classes unscathed. The S&P 500 is down 22.51% through 9/23. While bonds have not been immune given the Fed’s 180 degree policy turn from late 2021 and persistent inflationary pressures. The 2-year treasury …


Market Update: Municipal Yield and Valuation Overview

August 2022

The first half of 2022 is one of the few market environments in recent history where all major asset classes suffered. The Novel Investor blog’s Asset Class Returns captures this nicely noting “cash” outperformed with a +0.2% return. “HG Bonds” (high-g …


Perspective for Advisors: Bonds are Back!

April 2022

Jerome Powell and his Federal Reserve colleagues have begun taking steps to put the income back in fixed income assets, leading to one of the worst bond market drawdowns in the past forty years.  Rates have spiked as the Fed has made a rapid about-face …


Municipal Market Update – Bonds are Back!

April 2022

Jerome Powell and his Federal Reserve colleagues have begun taking steps to put the income back in fixed income assets, leading to one of the worst bond market drawdowns in the past forty years.  Rates have spiked as the Fed has made a rapid about-face …


Yield Curve Historical Perspective & Municipal Market Update

February 2022

2022 is off to a volatile start in global financial markets as the Fed begins the process of tightening monetary policy. Yields have risen – especially at the front end of the yield curve, thereby flattening the curve. Today the average AA rated 2-year …


37 YEARS

December 2021

of serving Investors, Issuers, and the Municipal Bond Market    THANK YOU. We wish you and your family a healthy and prosperous 2022 and offer our profound “thank you” for your continued confidence in the Bernardi team. We greatly appreciate the o …


End of Easy and its Implications for the Municipal Bond Market

September 2021

As the Fed publicly discusses it is nearing the end of its emergency approach to the pandemic and begins scaling back its pace of securities purchases, we thought it would be a good time to review the current status of the municipal market and potentia …


Market Summary & Relative Value of (Municipal) Bonds

August 2021

The two main ingredients determining long-term bonds yields are future growth and inflation expectations. Yields have dropped significantly the past number of months as investors have come around to the Fed’s view of high inflation as transitory and th …


Municipal Bond Past, Present & Future | 2020’s Stress Test and What Lies Ahead

June 2021

The past year and half presented many challenges, but also a multitude of silver-linings and learning experiences. Within the municipal bond market, the experience verified the sector’s overall creditworthy reputation and balance sheet sturdiness. Fede …