Euro Area Sovereign Ratings: An Analysis of Fundamental Criteria and Subjective Judgement
Download PDF: Working Paper 14
This paper studies the drivers of sovereign ratings for euro area countries and finds that judgement is applied to varying degrees, and thus recommends that rating agencies increase their methodological transparency.
Authors: Rudolf Alvise Lennkh and Antonello D'Agostino
Abstract:
This paper studies the sovereign ratings of the current 19 euro area Member States from 2005 to 2015. It disentangles the rating drivers into a ‘fundamental’ and ‘subjective’ component using Moody’s methodology, and explores which variables explain the ‘subjective’ component, that is Moody’s judgement. The main results show that judgement is applied to varying degrees, both across countries and over time. We find that past judgement as well as the 10-year government yield spread to the Bund are accurate predictors of the ‘subjective’ rating component. Our results suggest that Credit Rating Agencies should increase their methodological transparency and publish two ratings for each sovereign issuer, namely, i) a quantifiable, ‘fundamental’ rating which policymakers and market participants can replicate, and ii) a final rating, which includes agencies’ judgement.
Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the ESM. The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the ESM or ESM policy. No responsibility or liability is accepted by the ESM in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information, including any data sets, presented in this Working Paper.
JEL codes: F34, G15, G24, H63
Source: European Stability Mechanism | Working Paper Series | Volume 2016 | No 14 | May 2016 | 34 Pages
Copyright © European Stability Mechanism, 2016 | All rights reserved. Any reproduction, publication and reprint in the form of a different publication, whether printed or produced electronically, in whole or in part, is permitted only with the explicit written authorisation of the European Stability Mechanism.