Zions Direct Announces Municipal Bond Auction Results through April 27, 2012

Zions Direct Announces Municipal Bond Auction Results through April 27, 2012

Auctions of Municipal Bonds for week ending April 27, 2012

SALT LAKE CITY, May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Zions Direct, the online broker-dealer that allows its customers to purchase municipal bonds in its daily web-based auctions, announces its weekly auction results. In auctions closed from April 23, 2012 to April 27, 2012, investors purchasing municipal bonds in the auctions received average tax-exempt yields 0.57 percentage points, or 57 basis points, higher than similar bonds as reported by the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB).

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Zions Direct, in conjunction with BondDesk Group LLC, regularly publishes a Market Snapshot for investors to help understand the current bond market, summarizing current weighted-average yields of investment-grade municipal and corporate bonds. Findings are compared against similar securities auctioned at Zions Direct Auctions. Since February 2007, Zions Direct has auctioned over 1.1 billion dollars in more than 5,000 fixed-income auctions.

ZIONS DIRECT / BONDDESK® MARKET SNAPSHOT

Municipal Bonds' Average Yields Trade Data (source: MSRB)

                   2012 - 2013       2013  2014  2015  2017  2019  2022
                   -----------       ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
    Rating         <9mo          1 yr  2 yr  3 yr  5 yr  7 yr  10 yr
    ------         ----          ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  -----
    AAA                        0.32% 0.35% 0.42% 0.63% 0.95% 1.29% 1.83%
    ---                        ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
    AA                         0.43% 0.40% 0.54% 0.90% 1.09% 1.62% 2.15%
    ---                        ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
    A                          0.66% 0.57% 0.78% 1.10% 1.58% 2.19% 2.74%
    ---                        ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
    BBB                        0.81% 0.52% 1.55% 2.07% 2.30% 3.29% 3.49%
    ---                        ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
    Insured AAA-AA             0.49% 0.45% 0.61% 0.78% 1.24% 1.76% 1.91%
    --------------             ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
Municipal Bond Auction Comparison Data (auction data from auctions.zionsdirect.com)

    Issuer       Term Rating Auction Yield       MSRB            Difference
    ------       ---- ------ -------------       ----            ----------
                                                 Avg Yield       (basis points)
                                                 ---------       -------------
    Energy
     Northwest,
     WA Rev      2 Month  AA               0.93%           0.43%                 50
    -----------  -------  ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Colorado Ed
     & Cult Fac
     Auth, Rev   10 Month Insured A        1.30%           0.45%                 85
    -----------  -------- ---------        ----            ----                 ---
    State of
     Washington,
     COP         14 Month Insured AA       1.27%           0.45%                 82
    ------------ -------- ----------       ----            ----                 ---
    Utah St Brd
     of Rgts, UT
     Rev         15 Month Insured AA       1.22%           0.45%                 77
    ------------ -------- ----------       ----            ----                 ---
    Falls
     Church, VA
     GO          3 Month  Insured AA       0.83%           0.49%                 34
    -----------  -------  ----------       ----            ----                 ---
    Texas State
     Univ Sys,
     TX Rev      11 Month AA               1.23%           0.40%                 83
    -----------  -------- ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Sacramento
     Co Wtr
     Auth, CA
     Rev         13 Month Insured AA       1.29%           0.45%                 84
    ----------   -------- ----------       ----            ----                 ---
    Centerville,
     UT Rev      4.5 Year AA               1.66%           1.09%                 57
    ------------ -------- ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Platte River
     Pwr Auth,
     CO Rev      1 Month  AA               0.78%           0.43%                 35
    ------------ -------  ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Rancho Wtr
     Dist Fin
     Auth, CA
     Rev         3 Month  Insured AA       0.78%           0.49%                 29
    ----------   -------  ----------       ----            ----                 ---
    St Charles
     Mesa Wtr
     Dist, CO
     Rev         7 Month  Insured BBB      0.71%           0.49%                 22
    ----------   -------  -----------      ----            ----                 ---
    Chandler, AZ
     GO          2 Month  AAA              0.73%           0.32%                 41
    ------------ -------  ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Reynolds Sch
     Dist #7, OR
     GO          1 Month  AA               0.70%           0.43%                 27
    ------------ -------  ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Phoenix, AZ
     Rev         2 Month  Insured AA       0.60%           0.49%                 11
    -----------  -------  ----------       ----            ----                 ---
    Issaquah, WA
     GO          19 Month AA               1.34%           0.54%                 80
    ------------ -------- ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Portland, OR
     GO          6 Year   AAA              1.98%           1.29%                 69
    ------------ ------   ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Charlotte,
     NC Cop      1 Month  AA               0.90%           0.43%                 47
    ----------   -------  ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Orange Wtr &
     Swr Auth,
     NC Rev      2 Month  AA               0.89%           0.43%                 46
    ------------ -------  ---              ----            ----                 ---
    Sharyland
     Indep Sch
     Dist, TX GO 9 Month  Insured AAA      0.90%           0.45%                 45
    ------------ -------  -----------      ----            ----                 ---
    Brevard Cnty
     Sch Brd, FL
     COP         3 Year   Insured AA       2.15%           0.78%                137
    ------------ ------   ----------       ----            ----                 ---
    Average
     Difference                                                                  57
    -----------                                                                 ---
For more information on Zions Direct and the BondDesk Market Snapshot go to zionsdirect.com to sign up to receive the free weekly newsletter or visit think.zionsdirect.com to view a Market Snapshot archive.

THE INFORMATION IN THE MARKET SNAPSHOT IS NOT INTENDED TO SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR INVESTMENT DECISIONS. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT AN INDICATION OF FUTURE RESULTS.

About Zions Direct

Zions Direct is a broker-dealer that specializes in offering securities for self-directed and fixed income-focused investors. Zions Direct allows retail investors to buy FDIC-insured certificates of deposit, corporate and municipal bonds, and other investment products through its web-based Bond Store and auction platforms. In addition, clients can invest in stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds online or through a Zions Direct financial representative.

About BondDesk Group LLC

BondDesk Group LLC is a financial technology firm, providing enterprise-wide fixed income solutions to many of the top broker-dealers in North America. The BondDesk Alternative Trading System (ATS), run by BondDesk Trading LLC, connects broker-dealers through a centralized marketplace by offering a diverse pool of liquidity for odd-lot fixed income securities in multiple asset classes. The BondDesk ATS executes over 20,000 transactions per day by providing 2,000 broker-dealers access to 35,000 live and executable offerings from over 100 premier fixed income dealers. In addition, BondDesk Group is a leading provider of innovative fixed income wealth management solutions, advisor workstations and fixed income analytical tools and applications.

Market Snapshot Information Disclaimer

MSRB bond trade data displayed as weighted average yield. Municipal bond information from MSRB as of April 27, 2012. The Trade Data was developed by BondDesk Group based on information from MSRB's Real-Time Transaction Reporting System, and excludes transactions in taxable bonds. Auction information from auctions.zionsdirect.com as of April 27, 2012. The aggregate rating for each bond is based on average ratings from Moody's and S&P (when available).

Although information in this Market Snapshot is believed to be reliable, Zions Direct and BondDesk make no express or implied warranties of any kind regarding this information, including as to its accuracy or completeness. Auction data excludes bonds in undersubscribed auctions. Any specific weekly results may be heavily influenced by large, atypical volatility, trade volume, or other unusual investing events.

Municipal bonds are exempt from federal tax and may or may not be tax-exempt in individual states. The inclusion of municipal bonds selected by tax-exempt status is generated from pertinent federal tax attributes as populated from Muller, IDC, and/or BD ATS data sources.

Terms are defined as follows: < 9 months = anything up to .75 years to maturity; 1 year = anything greater than 0.75 years up to 1.5 years to maturity; 2 years = anything greater than 1.5 years up to 2.5 years to maturity; 3 years = anything greater than 2.5 years up to 4 years to maturity; 5 years = anything greater than 4 years up to 6 years to maturity; 7 years = anything greater than 6 years up to 8.5 years to maturity; 10 years = anything greater than 8.5 years up to 11.5 years to maturity.

Investment products and services offered through Zions Direct, member of FINRA/SIPC, a non-bank subsidiary of Zions Bank are NOT insured by the FDIC or any federal or state governmental agency, are NOT deposits or other obligations of, or guaranteed by, Zions Bancorporation or its affiliates, and MAY be subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of principal value or amount invested.

SOURCE  Zions Direct

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Zions Direct

CONTACT: Russell Fisher, Vice President, +1-801-844-7826, or Alison Andersen, Communications Officer, +1-801-844-7710

Web Site: http://www.zionsdirect.com