Geithner unsure if U.S. debt to be downgraded: report
WASHINGTON | Tue Aug 2, 2011 1:38pm EDT
(Reuters) - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said he is not sure whether the bitterly fought debt agreement to be considered Tuesday by the Senate will avoid a downgrade of the U.S. top-tier credit rating.
Geithner, in an interview with ABC News aired Tuesday, also said he thought the risk of the U.S. economy slipping into a double-dip recession was low, but added that the battle over the debt limit and the threat of default had damaged confidence in the economy.
"I don't think that that risk right now is very significant," he said of a double-dip recession, in the interview which was recorded Monday afternoon.
Geithner said the ratings agencies were "going to take a careful look" at whether Washington politicians have the will to act to bring deficits under control.
"It's not my judgment to make" whether the deal is enough to avoid a downgrade, saying that was up to the ratings agencies.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/02/us-usa-debt-geithner-idUSTRE7712WR20110802U.S. AAA rating can still get negative outlook: Fitch
Reuters US Online Report Politics News
Aug 02, 2011 15:25 EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Fitch does not rule out slapping a negative outlook on the United States' AAA rating when it concludes a review of U.S. ratings later this month, David Riley, the agency's primary analyst for the United States, said on Tuesday.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/2011/08/us_aaa_rating_can_still_get_negative_outlook_fitch.phphttp://www.reuters.com/finance