S&P keeps UK at AAA, warns of future rating risk
S&P affirms Britain's AAA scores, warns rating at risk if economy weakens
LONDON (AP) -- Standard & Poor's rating agency says Britain's cherished AAA long-term credit rating will stay for now — but warned there was still a chance of a downgrade if the economy weakens.
The move comes after fellow ratings agency Moody's downgraded its U.K.'s triple-A credit rating for the UK one notch to AA1 in February. Moody's said that sluggish growth and rising debt were weakening the British economy's outlook.
S&P said Friday that while the U.K. government is "committed to implementing its fiscal program" and can respond quickly to economic challenges, the agency would leave the rating on a negative outlook because it views a one-in-three chance that it could cut ratings over the next 2 years if the U.K.'s economy weakens beyond current expectations.
