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UK AAA credit rating at risk

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17375585

And do you know what I have to say? Good! British people rubbed their hands in glee when the world's only superpower (the USA) lost theirs, and now we are about to lose ours. What will be the effects do you think, other than Americans (quite rightly) gloating?
Reply 1
not much. already priced in. intrest rates will not rise much because of this.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 2
we're not about to loose ours though ... if you read the article they simply say theyre considering it, we're not 'about to loose' anything.
Credit rating agencies are a joke. Rating sub-prime mortgages at AAA and Lehman Brothers at investment grade hours before it's collapse.
Reply 4
Original post by Otkem
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17375585

And do you know what I have to say?

Good! British people rubbed their hands in glee when the world's only superpower (the USA) lost theirs,


Did they, I don't recall?


and now we are about to lose ours.


There's a 50% chance we'll lost it in the next couple of years.


What will be the effects do you think,


On its own, very little.


other than Americans (quite rightly) gloating?


I really don't think they'll care very much, or even notice.
AAB is still good
Reply 6
Never mind on this, there are more pressing issues to deal with like very soon another round of 100 year gilts is about to be issued..... means today's and some of yesterday's debt shall be repaid by your great grand children.
Downgrading the UK just smacks of stupidity. We have our own central bank who are very happy to print money to buy our debt. We are not going to default on our debtors.
Reply 8
Original post by Classical Liberal
Downgrading the UK just smacks of stupidity. We have our own central bank who are very happy to print money to buy our debt. We are not going to default on our debtors.


sarcasm ?
Reply 9
It seems a somewhat strange situation, but I think the truth is that George Osborne's political career - and possibly David Cameron's along with him - is dependent upon us retaining our AAA rating.
Original post by That_user
sarcasm ?


It is the truth.

The reason why our interest rates are so low and why our economy is not like Greece is that we have control over our own currency.

When the bank england does quantitative easing, essentially printing money, one of the main things it buys off the market is UK government debt. This means that in theory the bank of england can pay off all of debts of the UK gov. with money it prints, although the BoE would then own the debt but the BoE has been 'nationalised'. Therefore there is very little risk we will default on the debt. What is more likely is inflation. The reason why interest rates on UK government debt are so low now is because the BoE has reduced the supply of said assets on the market (not whatever **** Stephanie Flanders says about investors not wanting to buy UK debt or some *******s). And then it is basic supply and demand from there.

This is why not joining the Euro was such a great decision. If we had joined we would have been truly ****ed beyond belief. Full scale rioting kinda ****.

It would be far more useful for these credit rating agencies to publish some kind of inflation report (it is a joke the government publishes its own inflation target) for the UK economy rather than a risk of default. The ****ers are just wasting every bodies time and confusing people.

Come to think of it, maybe that is a good business idea :tongue:
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 11
Original post by Otkem
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17375585

And do you know what I have to say? Good! British people rubbed their hands in glee when the world's only superpower (the USA) lost theirs, and now we are about to lose ours. What will be the effects do you think, other than Americans (quite rightly) gloating?


Actually most people just face palmed when the US lost its credit rating, mainly because it was partly to do with how polarised the country has become. No one with half a braincell would be happy to see the US economy tanking
Reply 12
People on here were so happy to see the USA economy tanking because they are jealous of our insignificance compared to the USA.
Reply 13
Original post by py0alb
It seems a somewhat strange situation, but I think the truth is that George Osborne's political career - and possibly David Cameron's along with him - is dependent upon us retaining our AAA rating.


I am not sure that is true. Politicians change their criteria for judging their success all the time. Even Brown dropped his favourite punchline 'No more booms and busts' when the bust happened to 'I saved the banks/world' and we still almost voted him back.
If we lose the coveted AAA rating they will simply blame it on Europe and remind us the interest rates for the debt are still manageable and are at historic lows. After all even Japan with over a 200% debt to GDP, who lost their AAA rating long time ago still pay very low interest rates.
It's happening.......

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