Sovereign Credit Ratings
Country | Moody's | S&P | Fitch | DBRS | Scope Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C Stable | D — | RD — | NR | NR |
Latest Credit Changes
Country | Date of Change | Rating Agency | Previous Rating | Previous Outlook | Current Rating | Current Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 13, 2023 | Moody's | C | — | C | Stable | |
| Aug 21, 2020 | S&P | SD | — | D | — | |
| Jul 27, 2020 | Moody's | Ca | Stable | C | — | |
| Mar 18, 2020 | Fitch | C | — | RD | — | |
| Mar 11, 2020 | S&P | CC | Negative | SD | — | |
| Mar 09, 2020 | Fitch | CC | — | C | — | |
| Feb 21, 2020 | Moody's | Caa2 | Under Review | Ca | Stable | |
| Feb 21, 2020 | S&P | CCC | Negative | CC | Negative | |
| Dec 12, 2019 | Fitch | CCC | Negative | CC | — | |
| Nov 16, 2019 | S&P | B- | Negative Watch | CCC | Negative | |
| Nov 05, 2019 | Moody's | Caa1 | Under Review | Caa2 | Under Review | |
| Oct 24, 2019 | S&P | B- | Negative | B- | Negative Watch | |
| Oct 01, 2019 | Moody's | Caa1 | Stable | Caa1 | Under Review | |
| Aug 23, 2019 | Fitch | B- | Negative | CCC | Negative | |
| Mar 01, 2019 | S&P | B- | Stable | B- | Negative | |
| Jan 21, 2019 | Moody's | B3 | Negative | Caa1 | Stable | |
| Dec 18, 2018 | Fitch | B- | Stable | B- | Negative | |
| Dec 13, 2018 | Moody's | B3 | Stable | B3 | Negative | |
| Aug 25, 2017 | Moody's | B2 | Negative | B3 | Stable | |
| Sep 02, 2016 | S&P | B- | Negative | B- | Stable |
Table Key
| Grade | Moody's | S&P | Fitch | DBRS | Scope Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prime | Aaa | AAA | AAA | AAA | AAA |
High Grade | Aa1 | AA+ | AA+ | AA (high) | AA+ |
Aa2 | AA | AA | AA | AA | |
Aa3 | AA- | AA- | AA (low) | AA- | |
Upper Medium Grade | A1 | A+ | A+ | A (high) | A+ |
A2 | A | A | A | A | |
A3 | A- | A- | A (low) | A- | |
Lower Medium Grade | Baa1 | BBB+ | BBB+ | BBB (high) | BBB+ |
Baa2 | BBB | BBB | BBB | BBB | |
Baa3 | BBB- | BBB- | BBB (low) | BBB- | |
Non-investment Grade Speculative | Ba1 | BB+ | BB+ | BB (high) | BB+ |
Ba2 | BB | BB | BB | BB | |
Ba3 | BB- | BB- | BB (low) | BB- | |
Highly Speculative Grade | B1 | B+ | B+ | B (high) | B+ |
B2 | B | B | B | B | |
B3 | B- | B- | B (low) | B- | |
Substantial Risk Grade | Caa1 | CCC+ | CCC+ | CCC | |
Caa2 | CCC | CCC | CCC | CCC | |
Caa3 | CCC- | CCC- | CCC | ||
Extremely Speculative Grade | Ca | CC | CC | CCC | CC |
C | CCC | C | |||
In Default with Little Prospect for Recovery | CD | RD | RD | ||
In Default | SD | SD | |||
C | D | D | D | D | |
DD | DD | ||||
DDD | DDD | ||||
Not Rated | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
FAQ
What is a sovereign credit rating?
A sovereign credit rating is an independent assessment of a country's creditworthiness, issued by agencies like S&P, Moody's, Fitch, DBRS, and Scope. These long-term foreign-currency ratings shape borrowing costs and investor confidence, and changes often move currencies, bond yields, and equity markets.
Which agencies provide sovereign credit ratings?
The five largest agencies are S&P Global Ratings, Moody's Investors Service, Fitch Ratings, DBRS Morningstar, and Scope Ratings. They monitor financial, political, and economic conditions to publish updates.
What do outlooks mean in credit ratings?
A Positive outlook suggests a possible upgrade, Stable means no change is expected, and Negative signals a potential downgrade. Outlooks indicate the likely direction of a rating in the short to medium term and often shape market expectations.
How often are sovereign ratings updated?
There is no fixed timetable. Some agencies review ratings on set calendars, while others update after major financial, political, or economic events that could affect credit risk.
Where can I find historical sovereign ratings?
You can explore past ratings and outlook revisions on each country's dedicated page within the FXEmpire Credit Ratings Hub.
What is the difference between investment grade and speculative grade?
Investment grade (BBB-/Baa3 or higher) signals lower risk and wider investor access. Speculative grade (BB+/Ba1 or lower), also called high-yield or junk, carries higher risk and volatility but often comes with higher yields.
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