Crane 100 Index Back Up to 3.46%
Money fund yields (7-day, annualized, simple, net) were back up 1 bp to 3.46% on average during the week ended Friday, July 17 (as measured by our Crane 100 Money Fund Index), after decreasing 2 bps the week prior. Fund yields hadn't been below 3.5% since November 2022, and they are down from a recent high of 5.20% in November 2023. They should remain flat in coming days (and weeks) since the Fed left short-term rates unchanged five weeks prior. Yields were 3.44% on 5/31/26, 3.47% on 3/31, 3.58% on 12/31/25, 3.94% on 9/30/25, 4.13% on 6/30/25, 4.14% on 3/31/25 and 4.28% on average on 12/31/24. MMFs averaged 5.20% on 12/31/23. The broader Crane Money Fund Average, which includes all taxable funds tracked by Crane Data (currently 723), shows a 7-day yield of 3.37%, up 1 bp in the week through Friday. Prime Inst money fund yields were up 1 bp at 3.59% in the latest week. Government Inst MFs were up 1 bps at 3.45%. Treasury Inst MFs were up 1 bp at 3.44%. Treasury Retail MFs currently yield 3.21%, Government Retail MFs yield 3.18% and Prime Retail MFs yield 3.36%, Tax-exempt MF 7-day yields were up 59 bps to 2.13%. Money market mutual fund assets hit an all-time record high of $8.404 trillion on July 6. The previous record of $8.385 trillion was seen a week prior (7/1), according to our Money Fund Intelligence Daily. Assets have decreased $103.5 billion in the week through Friday, and they've decreased by $76.8 billion in July month-to-date (through 7/17). MMF assets increased by $58.6 billion in June, $208.6 billion in May, decreased by $108.8 billion in April, $49.3 billion in March, increased by $99.5 billion in February, $32.9 billion in January, $126.3 billion in December, $132.8 billion in November, $142.1 billion in October, $105.2 billion in September and $132.0 billion in August. They rose by $63.7 billion last July. Weighted average maturities were at 39 days for the Crane MFA and 40 days the Crane 100 Money Fund Index. According to Monday's Money Fund Intelligence Daily, with data as of Friday (7/17), just 168 money funds (out of 834 total) yield under 3.0% with $223.3 billion in assets, or 2.7%, while the vast majority (666) of funds yield between 3.00% and 3.99% ($8.050 trillion, or 97.3%). No funds yield over 4.0%. Our Brokerage Sweep Intelligence Index, an average of FDIC-insured cash options from major brokerages, was unchanged at 0.29%, after falling 1 bp eight weeks prior. The latest Brokerage Sweep Intelligence, with data as of July 17, shows one change over the past week. RW Baird lowered rates to 0.94% for accounts of $1K to $999K and to 1.98% for accounts of $5 million and greater. Four of the 10 major brokerages tracked by our BSI offer rates of 0.01% for balances of $100K (and lower tiers). These include: E*Trade, Merrill Lynch, Morgan Stanley and Schwab.
