Quick Answer
The Bond Buyer publishes three weekly yield indexes (BB20, BB11, Revenue Bond Index) and a separate daily dollar-price index (the 40-Bond Municipal Bond Index). Visible supply (published daily) signals how much new issuance is coming; the placement ratio (published weekly) signals how well the market is absorbing it.
To time and price municipal bond trades, you need to understand the benchmarks dealers and analysts watch every day. The Bond Buyer publishes the indexes and indicators that drive that conversation.
What Are the Bond Buyer Indexes?
The Bond Buyer publishes four benchmark indexes: three track new-issue municipal bond yields, and a fourth tracks secondary-market dollar prices:
| Index | Composition | Basis | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bond Buyer 20 (BB20) GO Bond Index | 20 general obligation bonds rated A or above, with 20-year maturities | Yield | Average yield on new-issue GO bonds |
| Bond Buyer 11 (BB11) GO Bond Index | 11 general obligation bonds rated AA, with 20-year maturities (a subset of the BB20) | Yield | Higher-quality subset of GO bond yields |
| Revenue Bond Index (RevDex) | 25 revenue bonds maturing in 30 years (average rating about A) | Yield | Average yield on new-issue revenue bonds |
| Municipal Bond Index (40-Bond) | 40 long-term municipal bonds (a mix of GO and revenue) | Dollar price | Secondary-market price benchmark; underlies municipal bond futures |
Key facts:
- The BB20 includes bonds rated A or above; the BB11 is a higher-quality subset with bonds rated AA
- Because the BB11 uses higher-rated bonds, its yield is lower than the BB20 (higher credit quality = lower yield)
- The BB20, BB11, and Revenue Bond Index are yield indexes published weekly
- The 40-Bond Municipal Bond Index is different from the other three: it is a dollar-price index (not yield), published daily rather than weekly
- These indexes are used as benchmarks for pricing new issues and assessing market trends
Think of it this way: The BB11 is the "honor roll" of the BB20. It filters for only the highest-quality bonds (AA), so investors accept a lower yield for that extra safety. If you remember that higher quality always means lower yield, the BB11-vs-BB20 relationship clicks into place.
Exam Tip: Gotchas
- The BB11 yield is LOWER than the BB20 yield (counterintuitive if you think "11 < 20 = lower"). The BB11 uses higher-rated AA bonds, so investors demand less yield.
- The 40-Bond Municipal Bond Index is a dollar-price index published daily. The BB20, BB11, and Revenue Bond Index are yield indexes published weekly. Do not lump all four together as "the same thing on the same schedule."
What Other Market Indicators Does The Bond Buyer Publish?
| Indicator | Definition | Published |
|---|---|---|
| Visible supply | Total dollar amount of new municipal issues scheduled to come to market in the next 30 days | Daily |
| Placement ratio | Percentage of new issues sold relative to the total offered in the prior week | Weekly |
How to interpret:
- High visible supply = many new bonds coming to market, which increases supply and puts upward pressure on yields (downward on prices)
- High placement ratio = strong demand (a large percentage of new issues sold), meaning the market is absorbing supply well
- Low placement ratio = weak demand; issues are not selling, which may signal rising yields ahead
Exam Tip: Gotchas
- Visible supply is forward-looking (next 30 days); placement ratio is backward-looking (prior week). The exam tests whether you know which direction each one faces.
- High visible supply puts upward pressure on yields (more supply = higher yields to attract buyers).
What Should You Check on Exam Day?
- BB20, BB11, and Revenue Bond Index are yield indexes, published weekly
- The 40-Bond Municipal Bond Index is a separate dollar-price index, published daily
- The BB11 yield is lower than the BB20 despite the smaller number, because it holds only AA bonds
- Visible supply (daily) is forward-looking; placement ratio (weekly) is backward-looking
Related Topics
Disclosure infrastructure (the municipal-disclosure rule, continuing disclosure, material events, EMMA) is covered in Advertising and Communications. Real-time trade reporting via RTRS is covered in Settlement and Trading.