EEMEA round up: Fitch cuts Russia down to size

Fitch Ratings downgraded its ratings for Russia for the first time in more than a decade as a result of falling oil prices, dwindling foreign currency reserves and record capital flight. Fitch cut Russia to BBB from BBB+ and maintained its negative outlook. "The scale of capital outflows and the pace of decline in Russia’s foreign exchange reserves have materially weakened the sovereign balance sheet," says Ed Parker, Fitch’s head of emerging markets in Europe. "The downgrade reflects the negative impact on Russia from the fall in commodity prices and the dislocation to global capital markets that has left Russian banks and companies struggling to refinance debt."