Italy Faces Credit Rating Cut
英语课
A major financial services company says that Italy faces a "significant chance" of having its credit rating cut soon, but that it has no plans to downgrade France's top credit standing 1.
Fitch Ratings said Tuesday it is confident that the 17-nation European bloc 2 that uses the euro will not break apart. But its sovereign ratings chief, David Riley, said in London that Fitch could trim the credit standings for Italy, Spain and four other eurozone countries by a notch 3 or two by the end of January, which would likely boost their borrowing costs.
Financial experts are most worried about Italy, the eurozone's third largest economy. They are fearful that the debt-ridden country could need an international bailout like Greece, Ireland and Portugal, but that its debts would be too large for Europe to handle. Riley said that the "future of the euro will be decided 4 at the gates of Rome."
Fitch has been reviewing France's top AAA credit standing. But Riley said it has has no plans to cut the rating for the currency bloc's second biggest economy unless the country sustains some major economic shock.
European leaders are attempting to work out details of a new European Union treaty to control the spending of individual governments.
n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的
- After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
- They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
n.集团；联盟
- A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
- There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。
n.(V字形)槽口，缺口，等级
- The peanuts they grow are top-notch.他们种的花生是拔尖的。
- He cut a notch in the stick with a sharp knife.他用利刃在棒上刻了一个凹痕。