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Moody’s downgrades Howard U’s credit rating
WASHINGTON — Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded Howard University’s credit rating, citing revenue declines at the historically black college and automatic federal budget cuts from Congress. Moody’s issued its downgrade Tuesday after a review that began in July. Howard’s rating was reduced from A3 to Baa1, indicating a moderate credit risk. Moody’s says fundrai[...]
Maryland retains Triple A bond rating
Maryland has retained its prized Triple A bond rating from the three major rating agencies, state Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp said. State officials plan to sell up to $1 billion worth of general obligation bonds at the March 6 meeting of the Board of Public Works — $500 million of tax-exempt bonds and up to […]
S&P cuts Washington Post rating by 1 notch
NEW YORK — Standard & Poor’s cut the credit rating of the Washington Post Co. to “BBB” on Thursday, citing deteriorating performance at its Kaplan education unit and continuing declines in newspaper advertising revenue. S&P said the outlook for the rating is “negative,” and noted that the company faces risks in stabilizing both its businesses. […]
Fitch keeps AAA US credit rating but dims outlook
WASHINGTON — Fitch says it will keep its rating for long-term U.S. debt at the top AAA level, despite a congressional panel’s failure to agree on long-term deficit cuts. But it is lowering its outlook to negative. The rating agency says it has less confidence in the federal government’s ability to take the necessary steps […]
Strong auto demand lifts July factory orders
WASHINGTON — U.S. factory orders rose strongly in July on the biggest jump in demand for autos in more than eight years and a surge in commercial airplane orders. The increase suggests supply chain disruptions created by the Japan crisis are easing. Factory orders climbed 2.4 percent, the largest increase since March, the Commerce Department […]
Marianne D. Fishler: In volatile times, investors shouldn’t try to time market
You get a lot of information from the Internet, but not necessarily a lot of knowledge. And over the past month or so, we have been bombarded with a multitude of negative headlines: the U.S. credit rating is downgraded, second-quarter gross domestic product is lower than anticipated, European debt woes continue. No wonder the stock […]
Stocks rise after $19 billion acquisition flurry
NEW YORK — Stocks have closed higher for the third straight day after a $19 billion buying spree by corporations. The Dow Jones industrial average is up 213 points, or 1.9 percent, at 11,483. It has erased all its losses from last week, when it swung more than 400 points four straight days on worries […]
C. Fraser Smith: Ghouls, goblins and the U.S. debt crisis
EDINBURGH, Scotland — Rupert Murdoch, who was driven off Page One, may be the only one to find something good in the recent implosion of confidence and credit in governments around much of the world. President Barack Obama and Congress have been taking the lumps that had been heaped until a week or so ago […]
Stocks rise on small but positive economic signs
NEW YORK — Wall Street’s wildest week since 2008 continued with another 300-plus point move for the Dow on Thursday. This time, stocks shot up after investors saw small signs that the economy might not be headed into another recession. Fewer Americans joined the unemployment line last week, and a technology bellwether said revenue could […]
Maryland credit rating, day three
The credit rating front has been quieter Wednesday with Maryland officials believing any Standard & Poor’s rating action will not come soon, if at all. Here are some of the things that didn’t quite make the stories in the dead-tree editions as the state held its breath, waiting for an S&P downgrade and then when […]
Maryland credit rating: AAA or TBA
The future of Maryland’s sterling credit rating hung in doubt Monday evening after the downgrade of the nation’s debt whipped investors into a panic and pushed the stock market into a free fall. The months-long stalemate on Capitol Hill that led to that first decrease in the country’s creditworthiness rating prompted worry about the willingness […]
Fed gets its chance to stimulate economy
WASHINGTON — When it meets Tuesday, the Federal Reserve could signal what it can or will do to help the nation avoid another recession. Since the Fed last met in June, Standard & Poor’s has downgraded long-term U.S. debt, stock markets have plunged, Europe has struggled to contain its debt crisis and a range of […]
