International Business News - Fitch http://www.ibtimes.com All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif Fitch Ratings on Thursday affirmed the credit ratings of toy maker Hasbro Inc. and raised its ratings outlook on the company. Fitch has "BBB," or investment grade, issuer default, unsecured bank facility and senior notes ratings on the company. Fitch boosted its ratings outlook to "positive" from "stable." http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080703/fitch-affirms-hasbro-ratings.htm Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:48:28 EDT Fitch Ratings said Tuesday it views CIT Group Inc. announcement of the sale of certain assets as a positive for the company, but not worthy of prompting a ratings change. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080701/fitch-cit-home-lending-division-sale-a-positive.htm Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:15:27 EDT Fitch Ratings said Tuesday it maintained its ratings on Countrywide Financial Corp. after Bank of America Corp. completed its acquisition of the mortgage lender. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080701/fitch-maintains-countrywide-financials-ratings.htm Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:18:04 EDT Fitch Ratings said Monday it may downgrade the investment-grade ratings on insurer XL Capital Ltd. and its property and casualty reinsurance subsidiaries. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080630/fitch-may-downgrade-xl-capital-ratings.htm Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:26:54 EDT Fitch Ratings on Friday affirmed the investment-grade ratings on Huntington Bancshares Inc. and removed them from Rating Watch Negative to reflect the regional bank's improved capital and financial position. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080627/fitch-removes-huntington-ratings-from-watch.htm Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:29:43 EDT Fitch Ratings said Friday it has assigned an investment-grade long-term issuer default rating of "BBB" to Apollo Investment Corp., which invests mainly in midsize private companies. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080627/fitch-assigns-apollo-investment-a-bbb-idr-rating.htm Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:49:12 EDT Fitch Ratings said Thursday it has upgraded Walt Disney Co.'s ratings to "A" on the media and entertainment company's leading market positions, strong cash flows and financial flexibility. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080626/fitch-boosts-disneys-ratings-to-a.htm Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:18:02 EDT Fitch Ratings has withdrawn its ratings for Ambac Financial and MBIA Inc. after the troubled bond insurers stopped providing private information to the agency. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080626/fitch-withdraws-ratings-for-ambac-mbia.htm Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:45:18 EDT Credit rating agency Fitch cut the issuer default rating of automaker Chrysler LLC further into junk status Wednesday, citing a steep decline in sales amid a weak economy and record fuel costs. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080625/fitch-cuts-chrysler-default-rating-to-b.htm Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:06:03 EDT Credit rating agency Fitch said Wednesday it will review the ratings of Ford Motor Co. for possible downgrade over the next six weeks, citing "unrelenting industry and economic pressures." http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080625/fitch-to-review-ford-ratings-over-next-6-weeks.htm Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:53:14 EDT Credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings cut the ratings of CenturyTel Inc. Tuesday after the regional telecom services provider said it would boost its dividend and accelerate a share repurchase program. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080624/fitch-cuts-ratings-of-centurytel.htm Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:21:07 EDT Fitch Ratings on Monday affirmed the investment-grade ratings of NorthWestern Corp. and revised the outlook to positive from stable to reflect the utility's improving financial metrics. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080623/fitch-raises-outlook-on-northwestern-ratings.htm Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:15:14 EDT Ambac Financial Group Inc. has asked Fitch Ratings to no longer rate its creditworthiness, the bond insurer said Wednesday. Ambac, which has lost its top 'AAA' rating at both Fitch and Standard & Poor's, said it no longer needs Fitch ratings because it has changed the focus of its business to insuring public debt offerings. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080618/ambac-asks-fitch-to-remove-credit-ratings.htm Wed, 18 Jun 2008 13:02:08 EDT Fitch Ratings on Wednesday affirmed its long- and short-term issuer default ratings on MF Global and placed a stable outlook on the futures and options brokerage firm. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080618/fitch-affirms-mf-globals-issuer-default-ratings.htm Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:31:16 EDT Fitch Ratings said Wednesday it cut the long- and short-term issuer default ratings of Fifth Third Bancorp because of continued deterioration in credit quality and the potential drag on earnings. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080618/fitch-cuts-issuer-default-ratings-on-fifth-third.htm Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:06:16 EDT Fitch Ratings said Monday it has upgraded defense contractor L-3 Communications Holdings Inc.'s contingent convertible debt to "BB+" from "BB" based on the company's strengthening credit and operating profile. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080616/fitch-upgrades-l-3-convertible-debt-rating.htm Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:47:05 EDT Fitch Ratings said it may upgrade the ratings for Leucadia National Corp., citing its long-term financial position and sound investment decisions. Fitch raised the company's ratings outlook to 'positive,' which means it could upgrade the rating in the medium term. The outlook had been 'stable.' http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080616/fitch-boosts-outlook-for-leucadia-ratings.htm Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:33:28 EDT Fitch said it affirmed the credit ratings of auto finance company AmeriCredit Corp. and removed them from its negative ratings watch now that a $2 billion financing agreement has closed. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080613/fitch-takes-americredit-off-ratings-watch.htm Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:49:51 EDT Fitch Ratings on Thursday sent its issuer default rating on United Rentals Inc. further into junk territory, after the equipment renter announced plans to buy back up to 27.16 million shares. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080612/fitch-cuts-issuer-default-rating-on-united-rentals.htm Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:17:48 EDT Fitch Ratings downgraded the ratings on a series of major homebuilders Tuesday, saying it expects the housing market to perform worse than previously expected through 2008. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080610/fitch-cuts-ratings-on-major-homebuilders.htm Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:26:33 EDT