Moody’s Investors Service
Portuguese insurers shielded from sovereign risk, claims regulator
A focus on high-grade corporate bonds in their investment portfolios is insulating Portuguese life insurers from the continued market pressure on the country's sovereign debt, according to Instituto de Seguros de Portugal (ISP), the country's insurance…
Investors dispute claims sovereign downgrades were hasty
Senior EU officials may have criticised the rating agencies for reacting too aggressively to Europe’s fiscal woes, but investors say the reverse is true and the agencies remain behind the curve.
Deal could trigger downgrade for E.ON US and subsidiaries
German power and gas company E.ON's decision to sell its US subsidiary to PPL Corporation for $7.625 billion has resulted in a ratings review and possible downgrade for E.ON US.
Committee hears of rating agency inertia as crisis built
Agencies were too slow to update ratings models during the crisis, Senators were told today.
Rating agencies under fire again in Congress
Research due to be presented today to a Senate subcommittee shows major rating agencies gave optimistic credit ratings to keep profits high.
Holistic thinking
Insurers have been focusing their attention to ERM as the deadline for Solvency II looms – but how well is the industry coping with the challenges this presents?
Moody’s: Oil will average $75 in 2010
Oil prices will average $75 per barrel (bbl) in 2010, following rising growth in global oil consumption, fuelled by buoyant demand in developing economies, led by China, says rating agency Moody’s.
Moody’s: Basel II and CRD changes ‘positive for banks' creditworthiness’
Credit rating agency says Basel enhancements will help banks' ratings
US senators criticise rating agency reform proposals
Senators and industry experts have criticised US Treasury proposals to keep tabs on credit rating agencies in relation to competition, conflicts of interest and the quality of ratings.
Primus restructures $1.2 billion of CDSs on monolines
New York-based credit derivatives product company (CDPC) Primus Financial Products has restructured $1.2 billion of credit derivatives protection the firm had written referencing a monoline insurer.
Q2 profits a false dawn for banks, Moody's says
Rising funding costs, continuing writedowns and the withdrawal of government support could push the global banking industry back into crisis, analysts warned this week.