21:06 DJ Egan-Jones Downgrades France to BBB+ from A-
Testo: By Stephen L. Bernard
France's credit rating was slashed by Egan-Jones Thursday to triple-B-plus from single-A-minus amid expectations that the country will face rising funding pressures.
The smaller ratings firm has been much harsher with its view on France than the three big ratings firms, Moody's Investors Service, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's. S&P rates France as double-A-plus, which is six notches higher than Egan-Jones' view. Moody's and Fitch still rate France at the highest rating of triple-A, seven notches higher than where Egan-Jones rates France.
Like Egan-Jones, all three of the larger ratings firms have negative outlooks on France. Egan-Jones's rating on France is three notches above being considered junk.
Egan-Jones said Thursday that over the past 18 months France has largely avoided the rise in funding costs that have plagued other countries like Spain and Italy, but deteriorating credit metrics along with the likely need to support French banks could pressure the country. Ten-year French debt yielded 2.67% Thursday.
"An item which is hard to quantify but is a growing concern is the health of France's banks; the assets of the five largest banks equal 282% of France's" gross domestic product, Egan-Jones wrote in its research discussing the downgrade. "Given France's propensity for supporting its banks, France might soon be confronting a substantial additional liability."
France is also likely to face increasing costs to help cover problems inweaker euro-zone countries, the ratings firm said. France's debt-to-GDP ratio has soared from 73% in 2007 to more than 100% today, Egan-Jones notes.
Egan-Jones has been more aggressive than its larger counterparts in downgrading European countries sovereign ratings in recent months. Egan-Jones on Wednesday slashed Spain's rating for the fourth time in the past six weeks. Egan-Jones now rates Spain as triple-C-plus, which is considered junk territory.