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S&P published a report today that shows how its ratings downgrade of America?s debt is affecting bond spreads, issuance volume, and the corporate default rate.

U.S. stocks tumbled more than 4 percent on Wednesday, almost wiping out gains from a relief rally the previous day, as rumors about the health of French banks sparked concern that the euro zone's debt crisis could claim new victims.

In essence, the Federal Reserve has inadvertently and implicitly extended the maturity of the average money market fund from less than 1 year to up to 5 years.

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Tuesday took the unprecedented step of promising to keep interest rates near zero for at least two more years and said it would consider further steps to help growth, sparking a rebound in stocks.

S.Africa's rand and stocks fell to multi-month lows on Monday as investors dumping risk hammered everything from resource firms to banks after the downgrade of the U.S. credit rating prompted a sell-off.

These institutions process trades and are key to the daily operation of the U.S. financial markets.

In opening minutes of trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 1.2 percent, S&P 500 has slid 2.2 percent and Nasdaq has fallen 3.1 percent.

The downgrade (while perhaps not a total surprise) arrived somewhat unexpectedly ? and during a period when markets are already in an extremely volatile and fragile state.

The fact that U.S. Treasury bonds managed to cling to their coveted triple-A rating this week failed to impress several prominent bond fund managers, who say they are lightening up on Treasuries and stocking their portfolios with corporate bonds instead.

Part of the problem is that the downgrade (while perhaps not a total surprise) arrived somewhat unexpectedly ? and during a period when markets are already extremely volatile and fragile.

China bluntly criticized the United States on Saturday one day after the superpower's credit rating was downgraded, saying the "good old days" of borrowing were over.

The United States lost its top-notch AAA credit rating from Standard & Poor's on Friday, in a dramatic reversal of fortune for the world's largest economy.

Investors scrambling for cover during the U.S. deficit and debt ceiling talks and Europe's ongoing sovereign debt crisis sold stock funds and bought emerging market debt and commodities, data from EPFR showed on Friday.

U.S. job growth accelerated more than expected in July as private employers stepped up hiring, a development that could ease fears the economy was sliding into a fresh recession.

Investors fled U.S. stocks and dumped commodities on Thursday, rushing to the safety of government bonds on growing fears the global economy was weakening.

The United States had its triple-A rating confirmed by two key ratings agencies on Tuesday after Washington struck a last-minute deal to avoid a debt default, but threats of future downgrades remain.

In the tough economy, people are buying less Coors beer. Molson Coors Brewing Co. said Tuesday weak sales hurt quarterly profits, citing weak economic conditions, sentiment that was underscored hours later when the U.S. Commerce Department released figures show consumer gains combined with rising fuel costs prompted Americans to pinch dollars more tightly -- and beer was apparently one of the items cut.

South Africa's rand fell against the dollar on Monday as a set of weak international manufacturing data reawakened worries about the global economy, prompting investors to go for traditional safe-haven trades.

After months of vitriolic discord, Republican and Democratic lawmakers were expected to vote on Monday on a White House-backed deal to raise the U.S. borrowing limit and avert an unprecedented default.

HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA.L) should unveil a half-year profit of near $11 billion on Monday, flat from a year earlier as weak investment bank trading and wobbly U.S. and European economies offset growth in Asia.

The debt negotiations are getting down to the wire. Republican and Democratic lawmakers are scrambling to broker a deal to raise the country's $14.3 trillion debt ceiling before Tuesday, when the Treasury will no longer be able to borrow funds to meet all of its obligations. It all means the United States could face the possibility of defaulting on its debt and losing its prized triple-A credit rating.