Effects of a Global Slowdown The semi-annual Institutional Investor Country Credit survey shows a slippage in the all-important U.S. credit rating, and with it those of many other industrial and developing economies. Over the past six months, the U.S. rating falls by 0.3 point, to 93.8, on the scale of zero to 100. The U.S. also drops one notch in the 174-country ranking, to No. 13. Switzerland maintains its top position, at 96.4, unchanged from the last report, in September. Western European countries occupy nine of the top ten spots; they are joined by Canada in ninth place, at 94.6. The global average declines by 0.3 point, to 46.6.
The ranking, which Institutional Investor has been publishing since 1979, is based on a survey of senior economists and risk analysts.
How the Ratings Are Compiled The Country Credit ratings developed by Institutional Investor are based on information provided by senior economists and sovereign-risk analysts at leading global banks and money management and securities firms. The respondents have graded each country on a scale of zero to 100, with 100 representing the least chance of default. We also asked participants to rank ten political, economic and financial indicators in order of their importance for each region and for selected countries. Participants’ responses were weighted according to their institutions’ assets. Names of respondents are kept strictly confidential.
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