Agenzia di rating internazionale Fitch Ratings ha migliorato il rating della Turchia a lungo termine in valuta estera Issuer Default Rating (IDR) a "BB +" da "BB-", l'IDR a lungo termine in valuta locale a "BB +" da "BB" e il suo country ceiling a "BBB-" da "BB".
La società ha annunciato la decisione di aggiornamento in un comunicato Giovedi.
“"L'upgrade riflette la capacità di resistenza della Turchia alla prova di grave stress della crisi finanziaria mondiale e il miglioramento relativamente al tasso d'inflazione, ai conti con l'estero e al rischio politico".

Fitch upgrades Turkey’s sovereign rating two notches to ‘BB+’
International credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has upgraded Turkey’s long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to “BB+” from “BB-”; the long-term local currency IDR to “BB+” from “BB”; and its country ceiling to “BBB-” from “BB.” It has also reaffirmed Turkey’s short-term foreign currency IDR at “B.” The company announced the upgrade decision in a statement on Thursday. “The upgrade reflects Turkey’s relative resilience to the severe stress test of the global financial crisis and some easing in prior acute constraints related to inflation, external finances and political risk,” the statement quoted Edward Parker, the head of emerging Europe in Fitch’s Sovereigns team, as saying.
In its comments, the company statement applauded Turkey’s relative resilience to the global financial crisis on the grounds that the credit fundamentals and debt tolerance of the country has been stronger than previously thought. Although the global crisis triggered a serious recession in the Turkish economy, Fitch argued, it has not caused a balance of payments or financial crisis. “In contrast to previous shocks, Turkey has been able to implement counter-cyclical fiscal and monetary policies without sparking an exchange rate crisis, and interest rates have fallen to single digits for the first time in its modern history,” the statement admitted.
In addition, Fitch’s statement read, the government’s ability to borrow from the domestic debt market at record low yields as well as issue $3.75 billion in eurobonds this year were also noteworthy. Defying all odds, Turkey also stayed away from an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout, it did not need to support its banking industry and there has been no significant pick-up in dollarization or capital flight, Fitch asserted.
Fitch sees positive outlook
Fitch forecasts Turkey’s gross domestic product (GDP) will contract by 6 percent in 2009 and then rally to a growth of 4 percent in 2010. Moreover, it believes the recession has enabled the country to attain a better macroeconomic balance. “Turkey’s history of relatively high and volatile inflation has been a source of macroeconomic instability and a rating weakness. But inflation has fallen to a modern low of 5.1 percent, from an average of 10.4 percent in 2008 and the floating exchange rate and inflation-targeting regime has performed well during the crisis. The exchange rate has adjusted to a more competitive level and Fitch forecasts the current account deficit [CAD] to narrow to 2.1 percent of GDP in 2009, from 5.7 percent in 2008,” the statement noted.
As another factor influencing Fitch’s decision to upgrade the rating, the resilience of the banking sector against the global shocks, was also taken into account. Debt tolerance and sovereign ratings are also supported by high GDP per capita (which is above the “BBB” range median), high levels of human and physical capital, a favorable business climate and governance, deep local capital markets and a good modern debt service record.
Despite all these good indicators, the public finances of the country were not so good, Fitch argued. For instance, Fitch forecasts the central government budget deficit (on IMF definitions) will widen to 7.6 percent of GDP in 2009 and 5.6 percent in 2010, from 3 percent in 2008. Additionally the European Union-defined general government debt will likely increase to a peak of 48 percent of GDP at end-2010, from 39.5 percent at end-2008, compared with the 10-year “BB” range median of 41 percent. According to Fitch, this situation will entail a fiscal financing requirement of around 19 percent of GDP in 2010, partly reflecting the relatively short average maturity of domestic debt.
Another anomaly affecting Turkey’s rating, for Fitch, was a gross external financing requirement, which includes the CAD and the amortization for medium and long term debts. This requirement, according to Fitch’s calculations, amounts to $66 billion in 2010 (plus $48 billion short-term), compared with foreign exchange reserves of $75.4 billion. For 2009, on the other hand, the risks of external financing have eased considerably, the statement asserted.
04 December 2009, Friday