S&P Cuts Russia's Rating to Junk, Moody's Issues Junk Warning

The S&P logo. Reuters
The S&P logo. Reuters
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S&P Cuts Russia's Rating to Junk, Moody's Issues Junk Warning

The S&P logo. Reuters
The S&P logo. Reuters

Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a flurry of credit rating moves on Friday, with S&P lowering Russia's rating to 'junk' status, Moody's putting it on review for a downgrade to junk, and S&P and Fitch swiftly cutting Ukraine on default worries.

Both countries' financial markets have unsurprisingly been thrown into turmoil by this week's events, which rank as the biggest military attack in Europe since World War Two, bringing stiff Western sanctions on Moscow.

S&P lowered Russia's long-term foreign currency credit rating to 'BB+' from 'BBB-', and warned it could lower ratings further, after getting more clarity on the macroeconomic repercussions of the sanctions.

"In our view, the sanctions announced to date could carry significant negative implications for the Russian banking sector's ability to act as a financial intermediary for international trade, Reuters quoted S&P as saying.

It also cut Ukraine's rating to 'B-' from 'B'.

Russia now has an "investment grade" rating of Baa3 from Moody's and an equivalent BBB- from Fitch, due to one of the lowest debt levels in the world at just 20% of GDP, and nearly $650 billion of currency reserves.

A downgrade, however, would lower that rating to the riskier "junk" or sub-investment grade category.

"The decision to place the ratings on review for downgrade reflects the negative credit implications for Russia's credit profile from the additional and more severe sanctions being imposed," Moody's said in a statement.

Sovereign rating reviews can take months but this time are likely to be quicker.

Moody's said its decision would factor in the scale of the conflict and the severity of additional Western sanctions, which have already hit some of Russia's top banks, military exports and members of President Vladimir Putin's inner circle.

It added it would also weigh the degree to which Russia's substantial currency reserves are able to mitigate the disruption stemming from the new sanctions and lengthy conflict.

"Moody's will look to conclude the review when these credit implications become more clear, particularly when the impact of further sanctions takes shape in the coming days or weeks," it said.

Moody's also put Ukraine's already-junk "B3" rating on review for a downgrade.

Fitch did not wait, however, and moved immediately to slash its Ukraine rating by a whole three notches to "CCC" from "B".



Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024

Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024
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Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024

Saudi Mining Licenses Reach 2,401 by End of 2024

The Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources announced on Sunday that the number of valid mining licenses in the Kingdom has reached 2,401 by the end of 2024.

The licenses cover various categories, including mining, exploration, reconnaissance, building materials quarries, and small mine operations.

According to the 2024 Mining Sector Indicators Bulletin, issued by the National Industrial and Mining Information Center, the majority of these licenses were granted for building materials quarries (1,481), followed by exploration (642), mining and small mining exploitation (215), reconnaissance (41), and surplus mineral ore extraction (22).

The bulletin serves as a critical tool for monitoring developments in the mining sector, tracking both existing and newly issued licenses across various regions of the Kingdom. By boosting transparency and providing accurate data, the initiative supports investors and decision-makers in making informed choices that contribute to the sector’s growth and sustainability.