What Is Workable Indication?
Let me explain workable indication directly: it's a pricing technique where a dealer or broker states a range for buying or selling a debt instrument, giving them flexibility. You'll see this mainly in the municipal bond market.
Understanding Workable Indication
Simply put, a workable indication is a nominal quote that shows the price at which I'm willing—as a dealer—to buy or sell a specific bond issue. This isn't like a firm quote, which is binding; if you accept a firm quote, I have to follow through at that price. Municipal bond dealers might also offer 'firm-with-recall' quotes that last about an hour before I can pull them back.
Usually, a workable indication is one-sided, meaning it's either a bid or an ask price.
Fast Fact on Pricing
Keep this in mind: municipal bonds are typically priced based on yield-to-maturity, not a straight dollar amount. So if I say something like 'I last saw this issue at around 3.50,' I'm indicating I'd sell it at a price yielding 3.5% to maturity.
Why Issue a Workable Indication?
Think of a workable indication as an estimate or initial offer—it's my starting point for us to negotiate a deal that works for both sides. I'm not obligated to stick to it; I can change it if the market shifts or investor interest changes.
This approach gives us flexibility to haggle until we land on solid numbers. It's especially useful when I'm just testing the waters, gauging your interest as a buyer. I might use vague language like 'it's somewhere in the neighborhood of' or 'probably around' to keep things non-committal.
I could offer a workable indication to kick off negotiations or because the bond isn't actively trading right now—I can't locate it immediately, so I can't give a firm quote on price and availability.
Special Considerations
To get how workable indications play out, you need to understand the municipal bond trading scene. It happens in the secondary or inter-dealer market, where institutional investors like banks, bond funds, and insurance companies, along with retail investors and small businesses, buy bonds from dealers offering issued munis.
Unlike the fast-paced stock market with its quick decisions and bursts of activity, the muni bond market is more laid-back. You don't have to rush; we can negotiate and think over offers to get the best deal. That's where a workable indication often starts the process.
That said, even here, things can heat up if another buyer shows interest in the same issue. Then it might turn competitive, and you'll need to decide quickly whether to up your offer or walk away.
Key Takeaways
- A workable indication is a pricing technique for buying or selling municipal bonds.
- It's a nominal quote as a range, like an estimate or initial bid, and it's not binding on me as the dealer.
- It differs from a firm quote, which does commit me if you accept it.
- I might offer it to start negotiations, gauge interest, or because I can't locate the bond yet.
- These occur in the slower, more relaxed muni bond secondary market compared to stocks.
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