Municipal Bond Forum
Muni bid prices
Q
I heard a radio host say that pricing muni bonds is an art, not a science. How are daily prices determined? It would seem by supply and demand for certain issues.
A
James A. Klotz responds:
We think what the radio host meant was that bid prices are determined by various factors that go far beyond rating, coupon rate, maturity and credit quality.
For this reason, the computer (matrix) pricing you see on your brokerage statement is notoriously imprecise.
Besides the supply and demand element you mentioned, consideration must be given to geographic location, state and local taxes, the purpose of the borrowing, as well as current market conditions, call history and any other individual nuances of the particular security.
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