S&P News

S&P Balks at SEC Proposal to Disclose Rating Errors

Standard & Poor’s, whose unprecedented downgrade of U.S. debt triggered a worldwide stocks sell-off, is pushing back against a U.S. government proposal that would require credit raters to disclose “significant errors” in how they calculate their ratings. S&P, which was …

S&P Revises Outlook on Platinum to Negative; Affirms Ratings

In an announcement that received slightly less notice than the downgrading of the U.S.’ ratings from ‘AAA’ to ‘AA+’, Standard & Poor’s also announced that it has revised its outlook on Platinum Underwriters Reinsurance Inc. and Platinum Underwriters Bermuda Ltd. …

When Rating Agencies Judge the World – an Analysis

The man who holds in his hands the fate of U.S. credit, and with it potentially the global economy, favors small tie knots, sports a bushy mustache and smokes his fair share of cigarettes. Beyond that, he is a mystery, …

S&P Says 50-50 Chance of U.S. Ratings Downgrade

Standard & Poor’s reiterated Thursday it sees a real risk that future U.S. government deficits may meaningfully miss discussed targets and that there is a 50-50 chance the U.S. ‘AAA’ credit rating could be cut within three months, perhaps as …

S&P Revises Outlook on Nationwide to Stable; Affirms Ratings

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has revised its outlook on Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. (NMIC) and its property/casualty (P/C) affiliates (collectively referred to as Nationwide) to stable from negative. S&P also revised its outlook on Nationwide Financial Services Inc. and …

S&P Threatens Downgrade of Insurers, Financial Firms Over Debt Ceiling

Standard & Poor’s Friday raised the pressure on debt negotiators in Washington, saying it could downgrade insurers, securities clearinghouses, mortgage agencies and a laundry list of other firms without a deal soon to lift the U.S. debt ceiling and cut …

S&P Threatens Downgrades of Finance Companies; ‘AAA’ Rated Insurers

Standard & Poor’s Friday put a broad range of financial firms on negative credit watch, warning they could all be downgraded if the United States has its credit rating cut. The S&P action takes in Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, all …

S&P Sees No Ratings Change on Validus from Transatlantic Bid

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has said that its “ratings on Validus Holdings Ltd. (BBB/Stable/–) remain unchanged following the insurance company’s unsolicited offer to combine with Transatlantic Holdings Inc. (BBB+/Watch Pos/–) in response to the definitive merger agreement between Transatlantic …

Head of S&P Germany Rejects Euro Zone Criticism

Standard & Poor’s hit back at criticism over the credit rating agencies’ role in the euro zone debt crisis on Thursday, with its German operations head saying rating agencies would lose credibility if they “kept silent”. “We risk our credibility …

S&P Downgrades 6 Cat Bonds; Removes 10 from Negative CreditWatch

Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services today has removed its ratings on 10 natural peril catastrophe bonds from CreditWatch with negative implications. S&P also said it has lowered its “ratings on six of the bonds and affirmed our ratings on four” …