1.   Banks fell following a rating downgrade of three banks by IBCA, a European credit rating company.

2.   Banks will likely continue to fall as investors shed financial issues from their portfolios amid concern about rating downgrades, bad loans and losses on equity holdings.

3.   Banks led the decline following a rating downgrade of three banks IBCA, a European credit rating company.

4.   Much later in the year, of course, rating downgrades helped push Enron into bankruptcy.

5.   A rating downgrade makes it more expensive for a company to raise cash and, in the case of insurance companies, signals their ability to pay claims.

6.   According to RAM, the rating downgrades reflect the negative outlook for the automotive industry in the wake of the economic slowdown and the depreciation of the ringgit.

7.   Banks themselves have to be more cautious, as reflected in a series of rating downgrades.

8.   Following the rating downgrade of BMBB, debt issues of nine companies, which have been guaranteed proportionately by BMBB have been downgraded accordingly.

9.   In addition, the source said that some Japanese creditors are likely to fear possible rating downgrades by international rating agencies.

10.   In Thailand, issuance has halted as a result of currency devaluations and corresponding sovereign rating downgrades.