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The credit signals that matter most for sovereign bond spreads with split rating

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  • Vu, Huong
  • Alsakka, Rasha
  • Gwilym, Owain ap

Abstract

We investigate how split ratings influence the information content of credit rating events on the sovereign bond markets during 2000–2012. We find that market reactions are far stronger for negative events on the inferior ratings and for positive events on the superior ratings. Such evidence suggests aversion of market participants to the ambiguity inherent in split ratings. Sovereign credit spreads are particularly responsive to negative events by S&P (the more conservative agency in the sample). Moody's positive events have a significant impact only when Moody's assigns superior pre-event ratings compared with S&P. There is little evidence that split ratings involving Fitch have any market implication.

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  • Vu, Huong & Alsakka, Rasha & Gwilym, Owain ap, 2015. "The credit signals that matter most for sovereign bond spreads with split rating," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 174-191.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jimfin:v:53:y:2015:i:c:p:174-191
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jimonfin.2015.01.005
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    Cited by:

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    3. Yasir Riaz & Choudhry T. Shehzad & Zaghum Umar, 2021. "The sovereign yield curve and credit ratings in GIIPS," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 21(3), pages 895-916, September.
    4. Sahibzada, Irfan Ullah & Rizwan, Muhammad Suhail & Qureshi, Anum, 2022. "Impact of sovereign credit ratings on systemic risk and the moderating role of regulatory reforms: An international investigation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    5. Kenourgios, Dimitrios & Umar, Zaghum & Lemonidi, Paraskevi, 2020. "On the effect of credit rating announcements on sovereign bonds: International evidence," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 58-71.
    6. Abad, Pilar & Alsakka, Rasha & ap Gwilym, Owain, 2018. "The influence of rating levels and rating convergence on the spillover effects of sovereign credit actions," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 40-57.
    7. Hu, Haoshen & Prokop, Jörg & Shi, Yukun & Trautwein, Hans-Michael, 2020. "The rating spillover from banks to sovereigns: An empirical investigation across the European Union," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Altdörfer, Marc & de las Salas Vega, Carlos A. & Guettler, Andre & Löffler, Gunter, 2016. "European versus Anglo-Saxon credit view: Evidence from the eurozone sovereign debt crisis," IWH Discussion Papers 34/2016, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sovereign credit event; Ambiguity aversion; Split ratings; Bond spreads;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage

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