Apr 28, 2015 02:20 am UTC| Research & Analysis
Moodys Investors Service says that securitization of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) and micro loans (collectively, small loans) -- a sector traditionally underserved by Chinese banks -- is credit positive,...
Fitch: Energy Default Rate Likely to Rise in 2015
Apr 27, 2015 14:03 pm UTC| Research & Analysis
The energy sector default rate is expected to rise above its long-term average of 1.9% in 2015, according to Fitch Ratings. Low oil prices have pressured cash flows and liquidity of smaller, less competitive exploration...
Fitch Downgrades Japan to 'A'; Outlook Stable
Apr 27, 2015 09:13 am UTC| Research & Analysis
Fitch Ratings has downgraded Japans Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) to A from A+. The issue ratings on Japans senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds are also downgraded to A...
Moody's: Australian housing affordability steady; falls in Sydney, Melbourne
Apr 27, 2015 00:19 am UTC| Research & Analysis
Moodys Investors Service says that low mortgage interest rates have helped keep Moodys Australian Housing Affordability Measure steady at the national level over the past year, offsetting the impact of higher property...
Fitch: EU Bank ST Ratings under Pressure from Bank Resolution
Apr 24, 2015 12:05 pm UTC| Research & Analysis
Fitch Ratings says weakening government support will exert pressure on around 30 EU banks Short-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) in 2Q15 despite improvements in intrinsic liquidity profiles at many banks across the...
Moody's: Brazil's banks to face higher loan losses, but cost of provisioning generally manageable
Apr 23, 2015 16:03 pm UTC| Research & Analysis
With prospects of an economic recovery fading, banks in Brazil are likely to see the quality of their assets deteriorate as a greater share of their loans become nonperforming, says Moodys Investors Service. Most of the...
Moody's: Latin American high-yield issuance off to a slow start in 2015
Apr 23, 2015 15:39 pm UTC| Research & Analysis
Latin American high-yield corporate bond issuance was down 9.5%, to $3.4 billion, in the first quarter of 2015 over the same period last year, Moodys Investors Service says in its latest Latin American edition of High...
Johannesburg in a time of darkness: Ivan Vladislavić’s new memoir reminds us of the city’s fragility
Economist Chris Richardson on an ‘ugly’ inflation result and the coming budget
Biden administration tells employers to stop shackling workers with ‘noncompete agreements’
Labour can afford to be far more ambitious with its economic policies – voters are on board
IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects