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And A Little Fuel To The Fire: Greece Downgraded By Fitch
FITCH DOWNGRADES GREECE TO 'B+'; RATING WATCH NEGATIVE
Fitch Ratings-London-20 May 2011: Fitch Ratings has downgraded Greece's Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) to 'B+' from 'BB+ and the Short-term IDR remains at 'B'. All three ratings have been placed on Rating Watch Negative (RWN). The agency has simultaneously affirmed the euro area Country Ceiling at 'AAA', which is applicable to all euro area member states, including Greece.
The rating downgrade reflects the scale of the challenge facing Greece in implementing a radical fiscal and structural reform programme necessary to secure solvency of the state and the foundations for sustained economic recovery. Implementation and political risk have risen as further fiscal austerity measures are required to realise the 2011 budget deficit goal of 7.5% of GDP due to the under-performance of tax receipts and higher deficit outturn for 2010 than originally targeted. Moreover, the greater emphasis on privatisation has heightened the risk that the policy conditional funding under the EU-IMF programme will be delayed given the political and technical obstacles to the realisation of EUR50bn of asset sales. Nonetheless, Fitch does expect some assets sales by year-end, albeit relatively modest, and continues to believe that the Greek government remains committed to the programme and to honouring its sovereign debt obligations.
The 'B+' rating incorporates Fitch's expectation that substantial new money will be provided to Greece by the EU and IMF and that Greek sovereign bonds will not be subject to a 'soft restructuring' or 're-profiling' that would trigger a 'credit event' and default rating from Fitch.
An extension of the maturity of existing bonds would be considered by Fitch to be a default event and Greece and its obligations would be rated accordingly. If contrary to Fitch's expectations, private sector 'burden sharing' as a condition for new money extends beyond exhortation and is coercive, the credibility of policy commitments regarding the European Stability Mechanism and EU-IMF programmes for Ireland ('BBB+'/Negative) and Portugal ('BBB-'/RWN), as well as Greece, would be severely diminished and in Fitch's opinion would adversely impact financial stability across the euro area.
New money is required in order to address the fiscal funding shortfall that would otherwise emerge in 2012, a key weaknesses of the current EU-IMF programme highlighted by Fitch following its previous rating action on Greece at the turn of the year. Fitch expects the uncertainty regarding the volume and terms of new money, as well as the role of private creditors, to be resolved with the completion of the current fourth review of Greece's EU-IMF programme expected in the latter half of June.
The RWN will be resolved in light of the conclusion of the current review of the EU-IMF programme. In Fitch's opinion, additional financial support for Greece would only be credible in providing a path to solvency if it is fully funded beyond the end of the current programme of mid-2013, implying substantial additional EU-IMF financial support over and above the EUR110bn already committed. Fitch will also incorporate into its review of Greece's sovereign ratings under the RWN the terms upon which new money is provided and the credibility of the associated policy conditionality.
The current 'B+' rating would likely be affirmed if an extended and fully-funded EU-IMF programme is articulated, backed by credible policy targets and, as Fitch expects, private sector participation will not be 'involuntary' or require a change in the terms and conditions of existing Greek sovereign bonds.. In the absence of a fully funded and credible EU-IMF programme, the rating would likely fall into the 'CCC' category indicating that a Greek sovereign debt default was highly likely.
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BTFD! Why can't they wait until next week? Poor Greece/EUR getting hammered!
O wow, dident see that one come. who whould have known this was going to happen
"I'm shocked, shocked to find Greek bonds and CDOs in this establishment."
linda schivo wants them to pull the fuckin plug already....
Greece's bonds should be "F" rated. There is 0% chance they will be repaid full value. WTF is this ongoing charade that we call bond ratings?
The Bernank has sent out the order: "Bring down Europe, we need $dollar strength and an excuse for more QE".
I'll believe it when I see it. Someone is fighting hard to keep the Dow down less than 100. And they are winning so far. And probably will win and push it green before day's end. Just like that bullshit "negative watch" from S&P where the Dow went -240 before ending the week up like 600 pts. Fuck that.
And the DXY has met fierce selling any time it makes a new intraday high. It keeps going up .10, then gets whacked down .07 in a nanosecond.
Greece will never default. I can bet whatever you want on that. Greece is fine.
If Greece defaults, there's a systemic domino effect.
Bingo! No one is above the market indefinitely! Less probable, but still possible!
Norway stepping away. IMF in disarray, Spain is protesting. It's time to close down the ponzi scheme. They never last. Sooner is better than later.
That's why Europe is lucky it is facing the music now. When the US finally pops it will be ugly.
a coerced "voluntary" restructuring is still a default. Real traders and financiers don't get fooled by bullshit.
What goes up, must come down Hamy...no such thing as a perpetual motion machine.
Including Hamy's wanger
Why don't you go write some put options for NGB?
I would certainly be a happy buyer if you could add some liquidity there.
it's been the bernank plan since the beginning , S&P and Moody's are part of the US weaponry to blow europe and divert attention off of them.
Not sure about that. The IMF folks are the same anyhow. Central banks here and there are really just cousins. My thought is it is a just a ping-pong thing. Orchestrated moves back and forth to keep things from overheating too quickly. A collective action to bring "other" economies to thier knees. Economic warfare my friend. WWWIII is already under way - in the digital realm.
When the IMF gets handed over to Lagarde the US will be in control.
As posted in another thread DSK's case is part of the ongoing turmoil, Tim Geithner sees in her a great leader and commented about iher in the Time magazine in 2009 (http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1894410_1893847_1894202,00.html). she's backed by Sarkozy, which is a disciple of the governing authority in the US, inquire a little bit about Nicolas Sarkozy's stepbrother Pierre-Olivier Sarkozy, managing director of Carlyle Group... everything is tied.
Thanks for the info. Haven't read those. Not surprised though.
Russia says US goes down first, then Europe.
I agree on Russia but i think the US is battling for Europe to go down before them
and we all go down together "good night Saigon" the new currency boogie
..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6gZefW4yEA
It's a false alarm, BTFD on the Dow and profit bitchez.
Someone is seriously buying very very aggressively on every downtick on the Dow. There is heavy selling and then boom, it shoots back up in a flash. Seems like the market "wants" to crash but someone has called the PPT back into action. Hmmm, Ben? Is that you?
Well the DOW is down -110...certainly cant have THAT in this free infettered fair market now can we?
You spoke way too soon...since your comment we rocketed up about 40 pts in minutes.
Speaking of rockets, watch the Euro in gold terms as we move along. Near new all time highs right now, and looks ready to breakout. 20-30% higher wouldn't be a stretch for a new upleg.
Dissolve Fitch.
Arrest the board for defrauding the public.
same with moody
What, for not downgrading them sooner?
Yet, European stocks on fire.
http://stockcharts.com/def/servlet/Favorites.CServlet?obj=ID3225058&cmd=show[s218732180]&disp=P
Some indication that a top could be in (shorter term)
http://stockcharts.com/def/servlet/Favorites.CServlet?obj=ID3225058&cmd=show[s218732192]&disp=P
note PSAR sell
Followed by the rest of the countries on fire as protests spread.
Default. Set the debt to zero and give everyone a clean slate.
Project Mayhem.
Plus don't forget this is opex day.
..
.
Flash crash this pig. Tired of waiting.
Doubtful. We can't even stay at Dow -100 or more for a half hour. This baby will close green today, count on it! Then some "big mergers and acquisitions" (Borders, maybe?) will cause AMZN and the QQQs and then by extension the Dow and S&P to gap up on Monday morning.
Full disclosure I am short so hoping for a flash crash so I can quickly cover and buy more gold/silver.
That was hardcore timing from fitch(even if its an afterthought), i wonder what got into them.
Wow, gold really went vertical there
PM's reversed, did somebody actually decide facts matter?
Well, in tyler's words: Commodities ON.
Spain is most likely gonna blow this week end...
But it is a Solid B+
The PM there said he refuses top let any bank creditors take a haircut....all austerity must be carried on the backs of Greek taxpayers.
mmmmm.....how does that work out?
Sounds to me that Fitch thinks the ponzi may have a chance of unraveling-- new money is needed to keep the sham going.
Greece economy isn`t worse than the british .
Another rating agency joke B+? Should be a solid "F"
Fool me once.....