Core Viewpoint - Moody's Ratings downgraded the U.S. credit rating from Aaa to Aa1, reflecting concerns over rising government debt and interest payments, and the inability of multiple administrations to agree on measures to reduce fiscal deficits and spending [1][5][6] Group 1: Credit Rating Downgrade - The downgrade by Moody's means that all three major rating agencies (Moody's, Fitch, and S&P Global) have now rated the U.S. below AAA [5] - Following the downgrade, U.S. stock indices, including the Nasdaq and S&P 500, fell by 0.4% in after-hours trading, and the yield on 10-year Treasury bonds rose from 4.44% to above 4.48% [1] Group 2: Fiscal Outlook - Moody's expressed a pessimistic view on the prospects for reducing deficits and spending, citing a continuous rise in the ratio of government debt to interest payments over the past decade [6][7] - The agency projects that by 2035, mandatory spending, including interest payments, will account for 78% of total government spending, up from 73% in 2024 [7] - The federal fiscal deficit is expected to grow from 6.4% of GDP in 2024 to nearly 9% by 2035, driven by rising interest payments and slow revenue growth [7][8] Group 3: Economic Factors - Despite the downgrade, Moody's noted that the U.S. retains significant credit advantages, including a large and resilient economy and the dollar's status as the global reserve currency [9][10] - The agency anticipates that the U.S. economy will continue to have strong growth potential and innovation capabilities, which will support productivity and GDP growth in the long term [10]

Core Viewpoint - Fitch Ratings has significantly downgraded its global economic growth forecast by 0.4 percentage points, predicting that global growth will fall below 2% this year, marking the weakest growth rate since 2009 when excluding pandemic effects [1] Economic Outlook - The U.S. economy is expected to slow down to a year-on-year growth rate of below 0.5% by the fourth quarter of this year, described as crawling speed rather than recession [1] - The potential for the U.S. economy to slip into recession is heightened due to weak growth, which could be exacerbated by additional negative shocks [1] Trade and Tariff Impacts - Tariffs are anticipated to further restrict the supply of goods in the U.S., with a significant rise in core consumer prices expected over the next 12 months [1] - The uncertainty surrounding tariffs, combined with inflation and rising inflation expectations, diminishes the likelihood of an emergency rate cut by the Federal Reserve in the short term [1] Trade Balance Perspectives - The insistence of the Trump administration on achieving trade balance with various countries is viewed as "very strange" and impractical, as trade surpluses will persist regardless of U.S. policies [1] - China is perceived to have sufficient resilience to cope with Trump's tariff policies, maintaining substantial export volumes to Europe, the U.S., and other emerging markets [1] - Compared to countries like Canada, Mexico, and Vietnam, China's exposure to U.S. tariff risks is considered relatively low [1]