Credit rating agencies
Credit ratings are a necessary evil: Gary Jenkins column
Credit rating agencies have been an easy target for investors’ ire – and in many cases the condemnation has been justified. But ratings perform an important function in the markets.
Debt-ridden Spain and Portugal face new threats to credit status
Clouds are gathering over the Iberian peninsula. Attention is shifting from Greece, given temporary respite by the EU-IMF bailout, to Spain and Portugal as fears mount over their fiscal deficits and spiralling unemployment figures.
Rating agencies under scrutiny once more
Rapid downgrade of Greece prompts Barnier to call for an investigation into CRA practices.
Z-Score architect launches new rating metrics: Edward Altman profile
Edward Altman, the high yield and credit risk expert, tells Credit that his new initiative for evaluating creditworthiness of non-financials has an error rate almost half that of the rating agencies.
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.
Crumbling relations
The so-called ‘Piigs’ countries – Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain – have been an ongoing source of worry for the financial markets in 2010. While the prospect of a Eurozone country being allowed to default appears low, insurers are under…
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.
Continued high default rate in 2010 predicted by S&P
Standard & Poor’s (S&P) expects between 55 and 75 West European companies with speculative-grade credit ratings to default in 2010, continuing an above-average default rate.
