TOPIC

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Standard & Poor's (S&P)

Standard & Poor’s is best known for stock market indices such as the US-based S&P 500 and for its credit ratings, competing against Moody's Investors Service and Fitch Ratings. Rating agencies came under fire for issuing top ratings to pools of mortgages which included subprime loans and in February 2013, the US Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit against S&P, seeking US$5 billion in civil damages.

Chairman / President

Douglas L. Peterson

CEO / Managing Director

Douglas L. Peterson

CFO / Finance Director

Ewout Steenbergen

Industry

Financial Services

Website

spglobal.com/ratings

Headquarters address

55 Water Street, New York, NY 10041, USA

Stock Code

NYSE:SPGI

Year founded

1860

US President Donald Trump has been accused of chickening out in his trade dealings with other countries – an allegation he denies. Photo: Getty Images

Investing

Explainer | Taco vs Tina: which acronym will win out when traders have a taste for both?

Tina has been around for decades, but Taco trades are suddenly cooking up a storm. What do they mean, and why does it matter?

30 May 2025 - 8:30PMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

Moody’s and S&P Global keep ‘Aa3’ and ‘AA+’ credit ratings for Hong Kong

28 May 2025 - 2:44AM

Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF)

MPF fund managers told to gird for US holdings after Moody’s cut

27 May 2025 - 11:25AM

United States

Trump threatens EU with 50% tariffs over breakdown in talks, Apple stares at 25%

Sweeping levies targeting bloc would start June 1 as China continues charm offensive across continent to deepen engagement.

24 May 2025 - 4:51AMvideocam

US President Donald Trump’s double-barrelled announcement highlighted his ongoing campaign against major American trading partners. Photo: AP

US-ally trade wars

Macroscope | In US bonds, China and Japan have the most fearsome weapon against Trump

The increased vulnerability of US markets gives foreign holders of US Treasury bonds more leverage in trade negotiations with Washington.

22 May 2025 - 5:18PMvideocam

Blockchain

Bitcoin hits record high as US-China trade tensions ease

‘A target of US$150,000 in 2025 is still very much on the cards,’ one analyst says.

22 May 2025 - 9:51AM

Singapore

Singapore’s central bank chief sees ‘no alternative’ to US dollar assets

Even with three major credit rating agencies now downgrading the US, Singapore’s central bank boss says US dollar assets are irreplaceable.

21 May 2025 - 10:26AM

A clerk sorts US$100 notes at a bank in Seoul, South Korea, earlier this month. Photo: Yonhap/EPA-EFE

Banking & finance

Moody’s downgrade, US debt fears revive mini ‘sell America’ trade

Rating downgrade risks reinforcing Wall Street’s growing worries over the US sovereign bond market.

19 May 2025 - 12:45PM

United States

US market extends drop as strong jobs report fails to soothe tariff fears

The S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq 100 Index futures sank as China imposed a 34 per cent tariff on all American imports.

4 Apr 2025 - 9:59PMvideocam

United States

‘Everyone is pessimistic’: US stocks swoon as Trump tariffs sow economic fears

Global recession fears grip Wall Street as Trump’s tariffs trigger a stock market rout, as the S&P 500 faces its worst quarter since the 1980s.

31 Mar 2025 - 11:03PMvideocam

Global recession fears grip Wall Street as Trump’s tariffs trigger a stock market rout. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong homebuyers deliver brisk weekend sales

Strong results for Sun Hung Kai Properties and Henderson Land show improving sentiment after a stamp-duty cut, agents say.

9 Mar 2025 - 6:25PM

An artist’s impressiong of Eight Southpark, developed by Henderson Land. Photo: Handout

Hong Kong housing

Hong Kong rejects US credit rating agency’s report on property market oversupply

Report by S&P Global Ratings says excess of office space the ‘most acute’ problem facing sector.

6 Mar 2025 - 11:56PMvideocam

China property

Chinese developer Longfor’s bonds sink deeper into junk territory

Downgrade comes as developers continue to struggle with lacklustre buyer sentiment despite recent support measures.

5 Mar 2025 - 4:30PM

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong banks face rising risks amid prolonged property slump, Moody’s warns

Moody’s highlights the potential for higher loan-loss provisions and a tightening of credit lines, particularly for smaller developers.

20 Feb 2025 - 8:30AM

Hong Kong banks have heavy exposure to the city’s real estate sector. Photo: May Tse

Hong Kong economy

The View | Why Hong Kong’s property blues don’t add up to a crisis yet

While financial distress is apparent, the risks must be put into context. The city’s woes are more externally driven than home-grown.

17 Feb 2025 - 4:57PM

A pedestrian reacts to seeing home prices displayed by a property agency in Tai Koo, Hong Kong, on July 24. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong property

‘Difficult year’ ahead for Hong Kong developers as rate-cut hopes fade

Developers will rely on low prices to draw buyers as rising US inflation and Trump tariff threats make rate cuts unlikely, experts say.

17 Feb 2025 - 9:23AM

Hong Kong property

Default of major developer could send shock waves through property market: S&P

‘Hong Kong’s residential property recovery may be slipping out of view,’ credit-rating agency says.

6 Feb 2025 - 7:08PM

Hong Kong economy

MTR Corp creditworthiness cut on soft Hong Kong property market, funding needs

S&P says MTR Corp’s operational and rental recovery from the pandemic could take longer than it previously expected.

29 Aug 2024 - 12:06AMvideocam

As well as rail operations, the MTR Corporation also develops, manages and rents out residential and commercial projects. Photo: Edmond So

China's economic recovery

China’s crippling local government debt is getting worse: S&P Global Ratings

After years of rapid debt growth from local government financing vehicles, some of China’s struggling regions are finding it difficult to reverse course.

26 Jul 2024 - 6:15PM

Millionaires and billionaires

10 of the highest-paid CEOs in the US – their annual salaries, ranked

They might have to meet lofty goals and answer to shareholders, but running some of the US’s top companies comes with big paycheques, as the CEOs of Apple, Microsoft and Adobe prove

23 May 2024 - 6:00PM

China's economic recovery

Explainer | Can China’s economic recovery be sustained? 4 takeaways from March’s PMI data

China’s purchasing managers’ indices in March provided more evidence that parts of the economy are gaining momentum in the first quarter, but analysts remained cautious about a long-term recovery.

4 Apr 2024 - 12:27AM

China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) returned to expansion in March, while the Caixin/S&P Global gauge for factory activity also rose last month. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong property

Hong Kong home prices to rebound in 2025, office market a concern: Goldman

The US investment bank says the residential sector will see a gradual recovery this year after the US Federal Reserve begins to cut rates and Hong Kong mortgage rates are lowered from the second quarter onwards.

12 Feb 2024 - 4:30PM

A property agency in Hong Kong’s Quarry Bay district. Goldman says the softness in Hong Kong’s residential property market is still manageable. Photo: Elson LI

Banking & finance

China fines S&P Global (China) Ratings US$297,000 for business violations

China’s central bank on Friday published recent fines on six credit ratings firms, including the China unit of S&P Global, for violating rules.

3 Feb 2024 - 1:17AM

China property

China’s once-mighty developers face brutal years after end of ‘golden age’

State-owned companies will dominate as the age of ‘fast leverage and fast growth’ is over, and developers face brutal years ahead, analysts said.

20 Jan 2024 - 11:05AMvideocam

China property

Developer Fantasia signs 36-month pact with Hangzhou firm to revive fortunes

Subsidiary Fantasia Group (China) will cooperate with Blue Green Shuangcheng under a ‘co-construction’ model, which will see them work together on implementing a range of measures to revive the group.

27 Oct 2023 - 4:39PMvideocam

Chinese developer Fantasia’s property project in Shenzhen. Photo: Weibo

China's economic recovery

‘Somebody has to eat the cost’: China’s monumental local debt challenge mounts

Deterioration of local-government finances has become a key concern for policymakers and investors amid the slower-than-expected economic recovery.

14 Sep 2023 - 11:29PM

Over the past few years, the central government has clamped down on the use of off-budget borrowing by local governments. Photo: Xinhua

Taiwan economy

Taiwan faces ‘crucial’ test as cross-strait tensions threaten growth, investment

Diversification by firms away from Taiwan could limit future investment, potentially muting economic growth, with capital already shifting to other Asian economies, including Malaysia, ratings agencies have warned.

6 Sep 2023 - 12:00PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Higher rates to drive profits as Hong Kong banks prepare to report results

Higher interest rates are expected to help drive profit gains at big Hong Kong lenders, including HSBC and Standard Chartered, in second quarter as US Federal Reserve prepares to hikes rates further.

25 Jul 2023 - 6:08PMvideocam

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