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**UK downgraded by Moody’s amid Brexit pressures**

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    **UK downgraded by Moody’s amid Brexit pressures**

    Nothing to see here... say Moody's

    So much for the strong economy... all for nothing when you've got a weak and weaker government.

    Wait until bond holders start asking for more interest. Then the fun begins.

    The UK’s sovereign rating was downgraded one level by Moody’s on Friday to Aa2, two notches below the highest opinion bestowed by the US credit rating agency, as Brexit pressures the country’s economic strength and the country’s debt levels rise.

    Analysts with Moody’s blamed “increasingly apparent challenges” to policymaking in the wake of the Brexit vote and increased scepticism over the government’s ability to cut costs.

    “Moody’s expects weaker public finances going forward, partly linked to the economic slowdown under way but also reflecting the increasing political and social pressures to raise spending after seven years of spending cuts,” said Kathrin Muehlbronner, an analyst with the rating agency.

    Moody’s changed its outlook on the UK to stable. Along with the downgrade to the UK’s sovereign rating, Moody’s also cut its rating on the Bank of England to Aa2 from Aa1.

    Fitch downgraded the UK on June 27, 2016, to double A, from AA+, and put the country on a negative outlook. It affirmed this rating in May, when the outlook remained negative, which reflected “heightened uncertainty” following the Brexit vote. The UK lost its Fitch triple A rating in 2013.

    Moody’s last downgraded the UK on June 24 last year, to Aa1 negative. On its last report, published in July, the outlook remained negative. The key credit challenge was “the uncertainty as to whether the government can deliver a reasonably good outcome regarding the negotiations to leave the EU”.

    S&P lowered its rating for the UK to AA in June 2016. In a report published in April this year, it said the outlook remained negative, citing continuing risks from the Brexit process.
    source: https://www.ft.com/content/c464354c-...a-fc32a28e96e9
    "Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience". Mark Twain

    #2
    Originally posted by scooterscot View Post
    Nothing to see here... say Moody's

    So much for the strong economy... all for nothing when you've got a weak and weaker government.

    Wait until bond holders start asking for more interest. Then the fun begins.



    source: https://www.ft.com/content/c464354c-...a-fc32a28e96e9
    Enemies of the People.

    Comment


      #3
      Looks like No. 10 did not agree with Moody's after the speech. The great speech. The great big speech. You'll just have to wait and see. What changed? Nothing... expect a fully expensed trip to Florence.

      Don't know how May is clinging on. A general election that is costing the economy and government wods of cash more than it would have without. Now UK debt is going to cost more as a result of the downgrading.

      Moody’s hits back after Government dismisses UK credit rating cut as 'outdated'

      Downing Street is embroiled in a public spat over a Brexit-triggered cut to the UK’s credit rating, after its claim that the verdict is “outdated” was rejected.

      The ratings agency Moody’s said No 10 was wrong to argue the downgrade would not have happened if the decision had been taken after Theresa May’s speech in Florence.

      Instead, it stood by its cut – stating the speech had not changed the big picture of likely damage to the economy from Brexit, when the UK's debt reduction plans are already off course.

      “I’ve read the speech and it doesn’t change our view at all,” said Alastair Wilson, the head of sovereign ratings at Moody’s.

      “It certainly is not outdated. It reflects a medium term view, it's very much a forward looking view,” he told BBC News.

      Meanwhile, Labour’s Treasury spokesman, Peter Dowd, said the downgrading was a “hammer blow” to the Government's economic credibility.

      “For the second time under the Tories the UK's credit rating has been downgraded, and on this occasion citing their lack of faith in the Chancellor to meet his own spending targets as a result of unfunded spending commitments such as the deal with the DUP,” he said.


      Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable said it was no coincidence the downgrading came alongside Theresa May's Florence address.

      “Despite Theresa May's conciliatory tone we are no closer to knowing what our future relationship with the EU will be once any transitional deal expires,” he said.

      “The warning that Moody's have issued by downgrading the credit rating is that the economy will be weaker once the transitional deal comes to an end.

      “All May has done is simply delay the economic pain caused by an extreme Brexit.”

      Moody's, one of the major ratings agencies, downgraded the UK to an Aa2 rating from Aa1 – having removed its top-notch AAA rating in 2013.

      The other major agencies, Fitch and S&P, changed their ratings in 2016, with S&P cutting it two notches from AAA to AA, and Fitch lowering it from AA+ to AA.

      Moody’s pointed to higher spending, running ahead of revenues – including the DUP cash – and said “any free trade agreement will likely take years to negotiate, prolonging the current uncertainty for business”.

      No 10 tried to play down the downgrade, arguing it followed a meeting on 19 September – which, therefore, did not take into account the new Brexit policy.

      “The Prime Minister has just set out an ambitious vision for the UK's future relationship with the EU, making clear that both sides will benefit from a new and unique partnership,” it said.

      “The foundations on which we build this partnership are strong.”

      Mr Wilson said he welcomed the speech “in some respects”, saying: “Recognition that transitional arrangements will be needed is a positive feature from the credit perspective.”

      However, Moody’s said the “best-case scenario” for a post-Brexit trade agreement “would not award the same access to the EU single market that the UK currently enjoys”.
      Bullseye
      "Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience". Mark Twain

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by scooterscot View Post

        Don't know how May is clinging on.
        I shall add it to the burgeoning list of things that you don't know.

        In this field of endeavour you appear to be "going large"! Are you sasguru in disguise?

        HTH

        “The period of the disintegration of the European Union has begun. And the first vessel to have departed is Britain”

        Comment


          #5
          Debt ridden basket case Britain stamping its little Brexit foot. It's beyond me why this woman had to hold that pointless speech in Florence. A Whatsapp group with her mates and other fanatic tories would have been more than sufficient..... It must have been the holiday she took in Italy ... she must have liked the place maybe.
          "Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience". Mark Twain

          Comment


            #6
            I see the Little Scotlanders are still tearful that they bottled their referendum

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Robinho View Post
              I see the Little Scotlanders are still tearful that they bottled their referendum
              scooter does NOT speak for all scots, i can assure you

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by BR14 View Post
                scooter does NOT speak for all scots, i can assure you
                A tragedy in itself.

                Incidentally - May does not speak for Brits. This politician in charge of a minority party outraged many in her speech when she claimed people of Britain spoke with one voice for Brexit. Guardian readers nearly consumed themselves with rage. Quite funny actually.
                "Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience". Mark Twain

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by shaunbhoy View Post
                  Some utter tripe

                  <pointless emoji>
                  ...
                  I am what I drink, and I'm a bitter man

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Whorty View Post
                    ...
                    Oh goody......my pet stalker has turned up again.

                    “The period of the disintegration of the European Union has begun. And the first vessel to have departed is Britain”

                    Comment

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