Standard & Poor's Sovereign Ratings

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S&P assigns sovereign risk ratings to the countries that issue debt on global markets. These ratings, from C (lowest) to AAA (highest), assess the probability that a country will default on its debts. Viewing the ratings is free and doesn't even require registration. Analysis press releases (the rationale for upgrades and downgrades) are also free for a short while after they appear. Essentially, the ratings measure economic risk. (See also the S&P review in the "Reviews" section.)

KEYWORDS: economic analysis, risk for creditors, economic stability