Credit rating agencies are once again in the spotlight amid the ongoing high-stakes debt ceiling negotiations in Washington. Here's what to know about them.
Credit rating agencies are once again in the spotlight amid the ongoing high-stakes debt ceiling negotiations in Washington. As Democratic and Republican lawmakers remain deadlocked and the approaching “X-date” looms when the US Treasury’s funds run dry, there is an increasing risk of a downgrade to the United States’ debt rating.
He said only countries that are “extremely likely” to honor their obligations get a triple-A rating. “Their opinions are taken very seriously by financial markets,” White said of the big three agencies. Entities with lower ratings generally must pay higher interest rates when borrowing money.
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