credit rating

Ratings agency Fitch has downgraded the UK to AA+ from AAA, citing a weaker economic and fiscal outlook.

Ratings agency Moody's has downgraded the credit rating of McGraw-Hill, the parent of the world's largest ratings company, rival Standard and Poor's.

Standard & Poor's has become the third main credit rating agency to put the UK's AAA rating on "negative" watch.

Moody's will strip the US of its AAA rating if a deficit reduction deal is not struck in Congress, it has warned.

The number of companies, governments and other institutions facing downgrades doubled in the first half of 2012, according to Fitch Ratings.

Fitch has cut's Spain's credit rating by three notches to BBB as estimates for the size of the bailout it needs balloon.

Standard & Poor's has raised its credit rating on Greece from Selective Default (SD) to CCC.

Credit rating agency Moody's has placed Santander UK's long term debt and deposit ratings under review following the announcement last week that its parent may be downgraded.

An independent Scotland would not automatically receive the AAA rating enjoyed by the UK and could find itself ranked several notches lower, ratings agencies have suggested.

The head of the Bank of France has attacked the UK's AAA-rating and called for it to be downgraded - as expectations increase of a downgrade to France's rating.