ratings agency

The ratings agency, however, 'cautions that these changes do not mean it believes there is nothing but open road ahead of these companies. '

Moody's, a ratings agency, notes that the average lifespan of new bank debt has fallen to its lowest level in at least 30 years.

The news comes less than a week after rival ratings agency Moody's put Japan's bonds under review for a possible downgrade.

"I think this is just a ratings agency trying to be a bit more independent of the companies which pay it for ratings, " he said.

Just as important, the fact that America's fiscal problems have finally roused a ratings agency only underlines how advanced they are.

The ratings agency worries that the deal, one of the year's biggest involving private equity, will increase Del Monte's debt.

AMERICA is not the only giant to suffer from an impertinent ratings agency.

"Under a stress scenario" , concluded Fitch, a (French-owned) ratings agency, last week, "France's AAA-rating would be at risk. "

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's also warned of potential disruption to the airline industry depending on how the current outbreak unfolds.

Adding to the heightened jitters, ratings agency Moody's placed Greece's ratings on review for a possible downgrade after markets closed.

Stocks around the world tanked after ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded Greek bonds Tuesday to junk status, AP reported.

Charlene Chu of Fitch, a ratings agency, thinks official statistics have to be treated with care in any case.

However, ratings agency Fitch has placed the company's A-plus rating on negative watch.

"There are longer-term pressures on the rating, that's very clear, " said Steven Hess, lead analyst for the U. S. credit ratings agency.

Shortly after, a correction was released and the ratings agency confirmed that France's rating remained AAA with a stable outlook.

Moody's, a ratings agency, has put France's AAA rating under surveillance, with a reassessment due in January.

The downgrade occurred late Friday. Ratings agency Standard & Poor's lowered the U. S. government's top-notch AAA rating to AA .

The ratings agency said it made the upgrade, "based on the company's strengthened capital position and improved risk profile. "

Fitch, a ratings agency, reckons that roughly half the cash entrusted to big American money-market funds is lent on to European banks.

Standard & Poor's, a ratings agency, lowered its assessment of American public debt from "stable" to "negative"

For these reasons, Standard &Poor's (S&P), a ratings agency, includes NAMA's costs in its estimate of Ireland's public debt.

Moody's Investors Service, a New York-based ratings agency, described the goal as "extremely ambitious" and unlikely to happen.

Rival ratings agency Fitch said it could cut Belgium's credit rating, along with those of Spain, Italy, Slovenia, Cyprus and Ireland.

The Moody's ratings agency predicted that a euro exit by any country would trigger a cascade of sovereign defaults across the eurozone.

Loans to French banks have plunged 69% since the end of May and nearly 20% over the past month alone, according to Fitch, a ratings agency.

The euro came under more pressure after Fitch, a credit-ratings agency, downgraded its assessment of Portugal's debt.

Credit ratings agency Fitch lowered its ratings on Cadbury and Kraft, but both remain investment-grade at BBB-.

John Nelson of Moody's, a ratings agency, argues that these reforms will favour large, efficient providers.

Yet their reassurances would have carried more weight had Moody's, a ratings agency, not downgraded 16 Spanish banks later that day.

And last Thursday the ratings agency said that it might downgrade 13 Italian banks if the nation's sovereign rating was cut.

He also trimmed his stake in ratings agency Moody's (NYSE: MCO) and banking giant M& T Bank (NYSE: MTB).

No matter what any ratings agency says, no other bond market is as big or as safe for China.

Dubai's debt pile is now estimated by Moody's ratings agency at $100 billion (60 billion pounds).

The burden of bailing out Dexia led ratings agency Moody's to warn Belgium late on Friday that its Aa1 government bond ratings may fall.

America's downgrade by a single ratings agency obscures the real problems now besetting the global economy.

"Such pro-cyclical spending makes no sense, " says Mauro Leos of Moody's, a ratings agency.

The ratings agency also noted new concerns about the braking systems on Toyota Prius vehicles.

On October 24th Moody's, a ratings agency, downgraded the firm, citing its capital and operating environment.

A downgrade of Irish debt by Moody's, a ratings agency, added to the nervousness.

Fitch, a ratings agency, downgraded four of Portugal's banks on November 8th, on concerns about funding.

As the dispute rumbles on, the debt has been downgraded all the way to CCC by Standard & Poor's, a ratings agency.

By this measure, financing could reach 14. 5 trillion yuan this year, according to Fitch, a ratings agency. Even that total may be too low.

Despite the gloomy outlook, the ratings agency said it expected house prices in the UK to remain flat in 2008.

Since May, American money-market funds have cut their exposure to European banks by 42%, according to Fitch, a ratings agency.

According to Standard &Poor's (S&P), a ratings agency, Indonesian public debt has dropped from 65% of GDP in 2001 to less than 30% now.

Junk Bond A bond that is rated by a ratings agency as being below investment grade and investment in the bond is high risk.

Standard & Poors, the credit ratings agency, warned last week that problem loans could reach as high as 38 per cent.

That helped persuade Fitch, a ratings agency, to lift the government's credit rating last month to BB , one notch below investment grade.

Finally, on August 5th Standard & Poor's, a ratings agency, lowered America's credit rating from AAA to AA .

This morning Moody's, a ratings agency, warned it might soon downgrade Spanish debt.

Fitch Ratings agency downgraded the state's debt from AAA to AA .

Moody's[10], a ratings agency, cut Spain's credit rating on September 30th.

Another factor is that the one-notch downgrade was by just one ratings agency.

A 50% cut in those fees would reduce big card issuers' pre-tax income by 2-3. 4%, estimates Moody's, a ratings agency.

Chinese ratings agency threatens US with new debt downgrade Chinese ratings agency threatens US with new debt downgrade

Head of ratings agency issues warning in TV interview