Moody's kept the rating of long-term issues and senior unsecured bonds at B1, arguing that there is a "solid fiscal framework that has stabilized debt at lower levels compared to its rated peers.
Honduras' fiscal balance behaves favorably with respect to GDP and has been enough to stabilize overall government debt at around 41% of GDP, Moody's report explains.
The rating agency reduced the long-term and senior unsecured bond issuer ratings of the Costa Rican government from Ba2 to Ba1 and changed the outlook to negative.
According to Moody's, among the main factors behind the decline is the continued and projected worsening of debt metrics in the back of large deficits despite fiscal consolidation efforts.
Fitch Ratings reported that the country is under observation and for now maintains the rating at BB, awaiting what happens with the fiscal reform and the payment of government debt at the end of the year.
Fitch Ratings, a U.S. risk rating agency, reported on November 15th that Costa Rica would be close to a sovereign rating downgrade because of the country's public finances situation.
Moody's downgraded the long-term issuer ratings and the Costa Rican government's unsecured bonds.
Yesterday the risk rating agency reported that expectations of a continued decline in fiscal indicators and evidence of increased financing needs are some of the reasons behind the decision to revise the country's debt rating.
Rocio Aguilar, Finance Minister, explained to Crhoy.com that Moody's warning is "...
In the view of Moody's, Fitch and S & P, the latest projections of public debt and fiscal deficit by the Central Bank of Costa Rica, further worsen the outlook for the debt rating.
Last week the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) released a report in which it explained that for this year it is expected that the public debt with respect to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will reach 53.8%, and by 2019 this indicator will reach 58.4%.
The rating agency has raised the outlook from stable to positive and reaffirmed the Baa2 investment grade rating, arguing that economic growth will continue to rise and will remain above the level of its peers.
From a statement issued by Moody´s:
New York, September 29, 2017 -- Moody's Investors Service has today affirmed the Government of Panama's issuer rating and senior unsecured bonds at Baa2 and senior unsecured shelf at (P)Baa2.
The rating agency highlights growth at rates of 5% achieved in the last five years, but estimates that in 2017-18 this will fall to 4.5%, partly due to the effect of a reduction in financial flows from the program with Petrocaribe.
From a statement issued by Fitch Ratings:
Fitch Ratings-New York-23 August 2017: Fitch Ratings has affirmed Nicaragua's Long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Ratings at 'B+' with a Stable Outlook.
"Structural weaknesses will continue to constrain Guatemala's economy and credit rating over the medium term"
From a press release by Fitch Ratings:
Fitch Ratings-New York-31 March 2017: Structural weaknesses will continue to constrain Guatemala's economy and credit rating over the medium term, says Fitch Ratings. Guatemala's growth rate will rise during 2017 as the effects of the 2015 political crisis gradually fade.
In line with recent warnings issued by other credit rating agencies regarding the country's bleak fiscal outlook, Fitch has reduced the debt rating from B + to B, and changed the outlook to negative.
From a press release issued by Fitch Ratings:
Fitch Ratings-New York-01 February 2017: Fitch Ratings has downgraded El Salvador's Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) to 'B' from 'B+'.
The government's inability to stop the growth of debt in the context of low economic growth and a high fiscal deficit is the reason for the reduction in the rating.
From a press release by Moodys:
New York, August 11, 2016 -- Moody's Investors Service has today downgraded El Salvador's issuer and debt ratings to B1 from Ba3 and placed the ratings on review for further downgrade.
Moody's has changed the outlook of the sovereign debt rating from stable to negative, noting the limited ability of the government to control the increased public spending and the high fiscal deficit.
From the press release by Moody's:
New York, November 19, 2015 -- Moody's Investors Service has today affirmed El Salvador's Ba3 foreign currency issuer and senior unsecured ratings and changed the outlook to negative from stable.
The agency improved the rating from B to B + highlighting the process of fiscal consolidation in place since 2014 but warned of weak internal controls and limited transparency in the public sector.
From a statement issued by Standard & Poor's:
OVERVIEW
We expect that continued implementation of recent fiscal and energy-sector reforms will contain Honduras' general government fiscal deficit to around 4% of GDP over the next two years, helping to keep net general government debt below 40% of GDP over the same period.
Better ability to handle fiscal accounts and an upward trend in foreign investment are the factors that the rating based its upgrade on, changing the debt rating from B3 to B2.
From a press release issued by Moody's:
New York, July 10, 2015 -- Moody's Investors Service has upgraded Nicaragua's foreign and local currency government's issuer ratings to B2 from B3; outlook remains stable.
Fitch, Moody's and Standard & Poor's are once again warning of the need to generate more revenue and cut public spending in order to avoid "negative consequences for ratings."
On average agencies provide a period of 12-18 months for the fiscal deficit and public debt to stabilize, while clarifying that "... the presentation of tax reforms is not enough to ensure a good perspective for the country.
Fitch has also downgraded the issue ratings on Guatemala's senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds to 'BB' from 'BB+', with outlook revised to Stable.
From the press release by Fitch Ratings:
Fitch Ratings has downgraded Guatemala's long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) to 'BB' from 'BB+'. Fitch has also downgraded the issue ratings on Guatemala's senior unsecured foreign and local currency bonds to 'BB' from 'BB+'. The Rating Outlooks on the long-term IDRs have been revised to Stable from Negative. In addition, Fitch has downgraded Guatemala's Country Ceiling to 'BB+' from 'BBB-' and affirmed the short-term foreign currency IDR at 'B'.