S&P Global Ratings
S&P Global Ratings is one of the three largest international credit rating agencies, providing independent assessments of the creditworthiness of sovereign governments, corporations, financial institutions and structured finance instruments. The organisation is headquartered in New York and operates as a division of S&P Global, a publicly traded financial information and analytics company. S&P Global Ratings assigns letter-grade credit ratings ranging from AAA (highest quality) to D (default), which influence borrowing costs and investor confidence across global capital markets. The agency evaluates credit risk by analysing economic fundamentals, fiscal policy, governance, debt levels and repayment capacity. Its sovereign ratings are particularly influential in emerging markets, including African economies, where ratings upgrades or downgrades can significantly affect access to international bond markets and the cost of capital. S&P Global Ratings competes primarily with Moody's and Fitch in the global ratings market. The agency has faced scrutiny over its role in the 2008 financial crisis, when it assigned high ratings to mortgage-backed securities that later defaulted. It maintains offices in major financial centres worldwide and employs thousands of analysts and researchers. S&P Global Ratings was originally founded as part of Standard & Poor's, which traces its origins to financial publishing in the nineteenth century, and became a distinct ratings entity in the twentieth century as capital markets expanded.
S&P Global Ratings Updates
Daily Podcast – October 19, 2026
By: Thabi Shomolekae 19th October 2026 Making headlines: Hill-Lewis launches billboard with Ramaphosa's ‘admission’ that DA municipalities work better; SA targets 1.3m unregistered... →
South Africa on path to investment-grade rating, Investec says 
By: Bloomberg 19th October 2026 South Africa stands a good chance of regaining its investment-grade credit rating within two years and next week’s mid-term budget could take... →
Africa’s new credit agency: why it’s needed
5th October 2026 The formal launch of the Africa Credit Rating Agency (AfCRA) has required considerable institutional commitment. It brings to fruition an effort... →
Goldman sees room for South Africa asset rally on credit upgrade
By: Bloomberg 1st September 2026 Markets are not pricing in the probability of South Africa’s return to investment grade, leaving scope for government bonds, stocks and the rand to... →
South Africa already upgraded by Bond Market as rating firms lag
By: Bloomberg 7th August 2026 South African authorities are focused on hitting budget targets rather than pleasing credit-rating firms, according to the government’s top finance... →
Goldman sees more South Africa rating upgrades on strong revenue
By: Bloomberg 31st July 2026 South Africa’s revenue outperformance puts the country on course for further credit-ratings upgrades over the next year, Goldman Sachs Group Inc.... →
South Africa's financial resilience built up by fiscal reforms; broader reforms must continue – BLSA
By: Schalk Burger 20th July 2026 The resilience shown by the South African economy since re-escalation of the US-Israel and Iran war, with the rand holding up better than it has... →
Former president Sall to visit Senegal as he campaigns for UN chief post
By: Reuters 14th July 2026 Former Senegalese President Macky Sall will travel to Senegal on Friday, his first public visit to the country since leaving office as he campaigns... →
Can an African credit rating agency overcome investor scepticism?
3rd July 2026 Can Africa itself correct the bias it says the Big Three credit rating agencies display in grading African sovereigns? The African Union (AU) and... →
As IMF visits Senegal, more investors view default as inevitable
By: Reuters 17th June 2026 Despite investors' growing conviction that Senegal will default on its debts, the country's leaders remain reluctant to restructure, two people... →
