James Ramage

Throughout 2012, high-yield muni funds have seen some of the best total returns among bond funds, with consistent inflows. Still, some industry watchers warn of large risks for the sector.

The hunger for paper and search for yield in the municipal market reached their limits this week.

Individual investors have been flocking to municipal bond funds, searching for safety and relatively high yields.

Municipal bond mutual funds saw a huge week of inflows, as investors continue to see strength in the market.

Record-low long-term municipal bond yields may generate the most press these days, but investors still see the most value in the intermediate part of the yield curve.

Volume for the municipal market continues to tick down while investor demand for tax-exempt paper remains robust.

Investors piled into muni bond mutual funds this past week.

Municipal portfolio managers say retail investors are turning to tax-exempt bond funds because they see them as a relatively safe harbor in stormy seas.

Analysts more than ever are monitoring the ebb and flow of cash into municipal bond mutual funds.

When the Build America Bond program ended there were two schools of thought. One argued that BABs would become an orphan class, with prices in the secondary market suffering from illiquidity. Another group thought there would be some scarcity value to the product and they would appreciate in value.

For portfolio managers of municipal bond funds, the past several months haven’t been for the faint of heart. Still, muni fund managers report mixed experiences in riding out the prolonged flood of outflows.