Tag: sub-investment grade

South African investors are still absorbing the twin blows of being downgraded by Moody’s into junk territory and, just four days later, the expected Fitch decision to take the South African sovereign debt rating down a further notch into junk territory.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide surpassed one million last week. This number probably still understates the true spread of the coronavirus given the lack of testing in many places, and the fact that some infected persons don’t show symptoms.

There was more salt in the wounds for South Africa when Fitch announced that they were downgrading government's credit rating another notch, this follows the announcing by Moody's a week ago that they were also downgrading the credit rating.

Recent weeks have seen the local market hit by a triple whammy. Both local and global markets have crashed as the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic begins to be felt resulting in a market sell-off; a rapid decline in oil prices has created a global supply shock. In addition to that, ratings agency Moody’s downgraded South Africa’s credit rating to junk or sub-investment grade.

Fears around the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has spilled into financial markets. The coronavirus outbreak has rapidly approached global pandemic levels, and given the knock-on effects of the virus on economic growth, the fireworks in markets were inevitable.

The 2018 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) will be a key determinant for SA’s credit ratings. A Moody’s Investors Service credit ratings decision was initially scheduled for 19 October 2018. Moody’s is now expected to release its statement on South Africa's sovereign credit rating after Finance Minister Tito Mboweni delivered the MTBPS.

All eyes are on newly appointed Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s first Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), scheduled to be delivered to Parliament on 24 October. Just two weeks into his tenure, Minister Mboweni will face the task of affirming government’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and strategic investment in the face of low economic growth.

Victor Mphaphuli | Co-head | STANLIB Fixed Income | media@stanlib.com | www.stanlib.com | South Africa’s economic history since 1994 when the country first asked global...