You know there is a reason why Europe just came crawling with an advance handout looking for US assistance: Moody's just went apeshit on Europe. In other news, we wouldn't want to be the company that insured Moody's Milan offices.
Full release:
Moody's adjusts ratings of 9 European sovereigns to capture downside risks
As anticipated in November 2011, Moody's Investors Service has today adjusted the sovereign debt ratings of selected EU countries in order to reflect their susceptibility to the growing financial and macroeconomic risks emanating from the euro area crisis and how these risks exacerbate the affected countries' own specific challenges.
Moody's actions can be summarised as follows:
- Austria: outlook on Aaa rating changed to negative
- France: outlook on Aaa rating changed to negative
- Italy: downgraded to A3 from A2, negative outlook
- Malta: downgraded to A3 from A2, negative outlook
- Portugal: downgraded to Ba3 from Ba2, negative outlook
- Slovakia: downgraded to A2 from A1, negative outlook
- Slovenia: downgraded to A2 from A1, negative outlook
- Spain: downgraded to A3 from A1, negative outlook
- United Kingdom: outlook on Aaa rating changed to negative
Please see the individual country specific statements below for more detailed information relating to the rating rationale and the sensitivity analysis for each affected sovereign issuer.
The implications of these actions for directly and indirectly related ratings will be reported through separate press releases.
The main drivers of today's actions are: [Cut to the chase].........
The fourth driver of today's rating action is Moody's view that the increasing likelihood of a disorderly default by Greece (if it fails to gain the required level of support of investors for the proposed restructuring terms, or further financial assistance from official-sector supporters) will very likely make Portugal unable to access long-term market funding in September 2013 as planned, and increase pressure on the government to seek a debt restructuring. Moody's believes that there is a high risk of contagion from Greece among weaker euro area sovereigns in particular. While unfavourable market perceptions will not affect Portugal's access to long-term official-sector funding under its International Monetary Fund/European Union support programme until at least 2014, and probably beyond, Moody's notes that access to official-sector funding is not a guarantee of support from private-sector creditors. Moreover, the longer official-sector support is needed, the greater the pressure for a restructuring of Portugal's private-sector debt becomes.[More from the release follows]