credit rating

France enjoys a AAA credit rating, but speculators are pressuring the Gallic republic, which they see as the Eurozone's next weakest link

There are currently four U.S. companies that have a better credit rating than their own country, according to Standard & Poor's: Automatic Data Processing, Exxon Mobil, Johnson & Johnson, and Microsoft.

Amid the contentious debt ceiling debate, the United States is at risk of being booted out of a prestigious group of countries that boast a spotless credit rating.

If the nation’s credit rating is downgraded because of the debt standoff , investors and borrowers should be able to ride out any resulting volatility, experts said.

Moody's Investors Services placed five states on review for possible downgrade if the United States fails to resolve its debt ceiling impasse and has its own stellar credit rating downgraded.

Standard & Poor's warns it may cut the U.S. credit rating if the debt ceiling is raised, but the impasse over longer-term fiscal issues remains.

If only lawmakers would raise the debt ceiling before Aug. 2, the United States will get to keep its top-notch credit rating.

Right?

Standard & Poor's lowered its outlook for the nation's long-term debt Monday, even as it reaffirmed the agency's top-tier rating for the U.S. economy.

Credit-rating downgrades for developed countries and upgrades for emerging markets aren't exactly turning the world upside down, but it's a trend investors shouldn't ignore.

The curtain has parted, albeit slightly, on the mystery of how your credit rating is calculated. Find out what these common credit problems can do to your standing.