Beyond Bulls & Bears

Sharpen your pencils—It’s budget season
Fixed Income

Sharpen your pencils—It’s budget season

State budget offices and municipal bond analysts evaluate the economic and fiscal outlook for the next fiscal year. In this document, we examine how California, New York and Illinois have different budget situations and how they plan to balance their budgets using various tools.

2024 municipal bond market outlook: Increased optimism for the year ahead
Fixed Income

2024 municipal bond market outlook: Increased optimism for the year ahead

A year of significant monetary policy tightening is coming to a close, making Franklin Templeton Fixed Income optimistic about muni bonds in the year ahead. Get the team’s 2024 muni-bond outlook.

Quick Thoughts: Investment Ideas—Is the Muni Comeback Still in the Making?
Fixed Income

Quick Thoughts: Investment Ideas—Is the Muni Comeback Still in the Making?

Making the case for municipal bonds today with Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute.

Crisis in concrete: Navigating the ripple effects of commercial real estate on municipal bonds
Fixed Income

Crisis in concrete: Navigating the ripple effects of commercial real estate on municipal bonds

Declining commercial real estate valuations will not likely lead to a wave of defaults among muni issuers, according to Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s municipal bond team.

An overview of US state budgets and municipal bonds
Fixed Income

An overview of US state budgets and municipal bonds

As COVID-era funding boosts come to a close, US state and local governments are facing some challenges. However, they have many tools with which to tackle them, according to Jennifer Johnston, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s Director of Research, Municipal Bonds. She provides her latest outlook.

Muni bond update: Credit quality still looks strong
Fixed Income

Muni bond update: Credit quality still looks strong

While 2023 has started on shaky ground for the municipal bond market, there are reasons to be optimistic for more stability ahead, according to Jennifer Johnston, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s Director of Municipal Bond Research. She explains why California’s issues don’t reflect all states, and offers reasons for optimism.

Budget Season
Fixed Income

Budget Season

For US states, spring marks budget season, a time to check the ledger board and allocate funds to entities and projects within the state—or cut back where needed. Jennifer Johnston, our Municipal Bond Director of Research, explains what her team has an eye on when it comes to state budgets—and the good news is that, in general, things are looking pretty positive.

Muni Impact of US Infrastructure Bill Could Prove Longer Term
Fixed Income

Muni Impact of US Infrastructure Bill Could Prove Longer Term

While the new US infrastructure investment bill didn’t have any initiatives directly targeting the municipal bond market, there are still implications for munis in the longer term, according to our Municipal Bond Director of Research Jennifer Johnston. She explains the ramifications for investors in the space.