Fitch affirms PH investment grade rating

 News
Apr 042017
 

Global leader Fitch Ratings has affirmed a rating with a positive outlook for the Philippines’ long term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs).

Philippine Stock Exchange

Philippine Stock Exchange [via Business World Online]

The Fitch Ratings grade of ‘BBB-’ with a Positive Outlook was also given to the country’s unsecured foreign and local currency bonds, along with an ‘F3’ rating.

‘F3’rating was also affirmed for the Philippines’ short term foreign and local currency IDRs.

Altogether the Country Ceiling was affirmed at’BBB’.

The credit rating and research group cited the key rating drivers for the Philippines as reflective of its “continued strong and consistent growth performance, a robust net external creditor position and government debt levels that are lower than the median of peers in the 'BBB' rating category.”

Fitch cited the following rating factors:

  • The Philippines' strong economic growth is a rating strength.
  • The Philippines in May 2016 elected Rodrigo Duterte as its new president.
  • The Philippines is a strong net external creditor.
  • The Philippine central bank's monetary and exchange rate policies are effective.
  • The government's debt remains below the 'BBB' median.

A rating within the 'BBB' category means that expectations of default risk are currently low and the capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

A positive rating outlook, meanwhile, indicates an upward trend for a credit rating over a one-to two-year period. 

Fitch expects the economy to sustain its strong growth momentum, with GDP forecast to increase by 6.8% and 6.7% in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Fitch forecasts inflation to increase to 3.3% in 2017, up from 1.8% at end-2016, but remain within the central bank's target of 2%-4%.

 

The post Fitch affirms PH investment grade rating appeared first on Good News Pilipinas.

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  2. Moody’s Investors Service upgrades Philippines credit rating
  3. PH gets further credit rating upgrade from Standard & Poor’s
  4. Pinoy business sentiment at all-time high in April-June 2013

Fitch upgrades Napocor credit rating

 Economy
Apr 032013
 
Fitch upgrades Napocor credit rating

MANILA, Philippines – Fitch Ratings has upgraded the credit rating of National Power Corp. (Napocor), the state-owned power company.  In a statement, Fitch said it has upgraded Napocor’s 2006 fixed-rate notes due 2016 to ‘BBB-’ from ‘BB+’. It also assigned a stable outlook on the debt. “The rating on the notes is credit-linked to that of the Philippines as the notes are irrecoverably and unconditionally guaranteed by the Republic of Philippines,” Fitch said. Furthermore, the global debt watcher said the rating action follows the upgrade of Philippines’ long-term foreign currency issuer default rating to ‘BBB-’ from ‘BB+’ with a stable outlook. An investment grade rating reduces the government’s borrowing cost and puts the country back in the radar screen of foreign investors and fund managers. The Philippine economy grew 6.6 percent in 2012, beating the government’s target of five to six percent. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 In an interview yesterday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Investor Relations Office executive director Claro Fernandez said the Fitch upgrade is a vote of confidence for the Philippines.