Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s unexpectedly raised its sovereign credit rating for Italy to BBB/A-2 on Friday, citing an improved economic growth outlook, rising investment and a steady uptick in employment
S&P’s credit rating for Italy previously stood at BBB-/A-3. It kept its outlook on the rating stable. The increase will be a boost for the government, and comes as Italy’s political parties start gearing up for national elections that are widely expected in March 2018. S&P has been regularly downgrading the euro zone’s third largest economy since 1988, when the credit rating stood at AA+. The BBB-/A-3 rating had been in place since December 5, 2014
To read the full article