Standard & Poor's

Standard & Poor'sBay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:cos/standard__poorsS&P cuts Cyprus rating as banking meltdown loomstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/cuts_Cyprus_rating_banking_meltdown_ec3b

Ratings firm Standard & Poor's dealt a further blow to reeling Cyprus Thursday, cutting its credit rating as the eurozone country struggles to avoid a banking sector meltdown.

2013-03-21T21:27:18ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff ReporterS&P cuts Cyprus rating one notch to 'CCC'tag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/cuts_Cyprus_rating_notch_CCC_f02d

Ratings firm Standard & Poor's cut troubled Cyprus' sovereign credit rating by one notch on Thursday citing "acute problems" in Cyprus's banking sector.

2013-03-21T20:24:55ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff ReporterS&P 500 flirts with record in bull markettag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/14/flirts_with_record_bull_market_ece5

The S&P 500 flirted with an all-time high Thursday as equity markets continued their upward march in the wake of strong labor data and bullish market sentiment.

2013-03-14T20:50:34ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff ReporterPolitical impasse sparks alarm on Tunisian economytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/03/Political_impasse_sparks_alarm_Tunisian_ead9

Tunisia's political crisis is taking its toll on the economy of a country that is also facing growing social unrest, with credit ratings downgrades and talks with the IMF on a $1.78-billion loan still in limbo.

2013-03-03T23:09:45ZAFP Global Editionby Antoine LambroschiniWary of downgrade, India attempts to balance budgettag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/03/Wary_downgrade_India_attempts_balance_5f4f

India's finance minister pledged in his budget to cut a gaping fiscal deficit in a bid to avert a damaging credit ratings downgrade, but economists remain sceptical he can meet his goal.

2013-03-03T13:07:42ZAFP Global Editionby Penny MacRaeUS economy can weather short sequester storm: S&Ptag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/01/economy_weather_short_sequester_storm_0a63

The United States economy can weather the drastic spending cuts known as the sequester if they are short-lived, ratings firm Standard & Poor's said Friday.

2013-03-01T22:34:41ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff ReporterSuspected Belaid killer named as Tunisia president testifiestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/28/Suspected_Belaid_killer_named_Tunisia_dff9

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki testified on Thursday in the murder probe of Chokri Belaid, as a judicial source named the Salafist suspected of the assassination that plunged the country into turmoil.

2013-02-28T19:14:53ZAFP Global Editionby Antoine LambroschiniIndia raises spending while promising smaller deficittag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/28/India_raises_spending_while_promising_ce4d

India's government increased spending by 16 percent on Thursday as it geared up for elections next year, in a budget that promised higher outlays for rural voters but a smaller public deficit.

2013-02-28T14:36:00ZAFP Global Editionby Penny MacRaeUS warned over budget chaos as big cuts loomtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/warned_over_budget_chaos_cuts_0565

The United States was warned Wednesday that its chaotic budget politics could lead to a new credit downgrade as the country readied for the impact of steep automatic spending cuts that begin in two days.

2013-02-27T23:28:24ZAFP Global Editionby Paul HandleyFitch Ratings warns US over budget fightingtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/Fitch_Ratings_warns_over_budget_4e39

Ratings agency Fitch warned Washington Wednesday that continued political fighting over the government budget and deficit-cutting measures could lead to the US losing its top AAA grade.

2013-02-27T16:41:54ZAFP American Editionby Paul HandleyItalian leftist leader starts tough deadlock talkstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/26/Italian_leftist_leader_starts_tough_fd93

Italian leftist leader Pier Luigi Bersani faced weeks of tough talks after admitting he had "come first but not won" key elections, as the markets reacted nervously to the political stalemate.

2013-02-27T04:02:37ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff ReporterS&P says Australia's AAA rating safetag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/26/says_Australias_rating_safe_4a6e

Australia's top triple-A rating appears secure despite high household debt and banks' high reliance on foreign funding, Standard & Poor's said Wednesday.

2013-02-27T03:36:17ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff ReporterS&P warns of Rio Tinto rating cut on debt concernstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/26/warns_Tinto_rating_debt_concerns_349f

Rio Tinto risks losing its single-A credit rating due to a sharp jump in debt, Standard & Poor's said, warning that the Anglo-Australian mining giant may have to sell off assets to balance its books.

2013-02-26T19:15:16ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff ReporterUS new-home sales jump in Januarytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/26/new-home_sales_jump_January_a64e

Sales of new homes in the United States sizzled in January, rebounding from a December decline amid shrinking inventory, government data released Tuesday showed.

2013-02-26T18:39:08ZAFP American EditionBy Staff ReporterUS stocks meander through another weektag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/22/stocks_meander_through_another_week_f185

US equity markets finished sideways for another week as concerns about Washington budget negotiations and the status of the Federal Reserve's stimulus program kept investor enthusiasm at bay.

2013-02-22T23:52:15ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff ReporterUncertainty as Italian election campaign wraps uptag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/22/Uncertainty_Italian_election_campaign_wraps_8b0b

Italy held its final day of campaigning on Friday ahead of crucial elections, as international investors warned an unclear outcome could shake the economy and set off shockwaves throughout Europe.

2013-02-22T19:35:04ZAFP Global Editionby Dario THUBURNItaly election too close to call as campaign endstag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/22/Italy_election_close_call_campaign_a04e

Italy held its final day of campaigning on Friday ahead of crucial elections, as international investors warned an unclear outcome could shake the economy and set off shockwaves throughout Europe.

2013-02-22T16:12:37ZAFP Global Editionby Dario ThuburnCyprus default risk is real: S&Ptag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/20/Cyprus_default_risk_real_7f91

Eurozone nation Cyprus is a genuine and growing default risk, the global credit rating giant Standard & Poor's said on Wednesday.

2013-02-20T18:50:23ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff ReporterLondon shares rallytag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/20/London_shares_rally_5fcb

London shares rallied at the end of trade on Wednesday on an increasing prospect of more cash stimulus from the Bank of England.

2013-02-20T17:19:43ZAFP European EditionBy Staff ReporterUK economy moves closer to new stimulus injectiontag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/20/economy_moves_closer_stimulus_injection_3a0f

Britain's economy, at risk of a third recession in five years despite record employment, could see a fresh injection of cash stimulus, according to minutes of a Bank of England meeting published on Wednesday.

2013-02-20T17:03:35ZAFP European EditionBy Staff Reporter