31.   Finance Minister Grzegorz Kolodko said he hopes the rating agency will upgrade Poland to investment grade, which analysts said would help boost trading.

32.   Fitch is one of the four largest rating agencies in the U.S.

33.   Fitch is pondering whether to buy a stake in the Mexican company and currently maintains a working relationship with the Mexico City-based rating agency.

34.   Experts suggest sticking with companies with financial strength ratings of A or better from rating agencies.

35.   Female mutual fund managers also have outperformed their male counterparts over the past three years, according to a survey by rating agency Morningstar.

36.   For years, bond rating agencies have wanted to evaluate how vulnerable bond mutual funds would be if interest rates moved sharply.

37.   Governments across Canada have narrowed deficits, effectively cutting borrowing requirements and appeasing rating agencies.

38.   Hancock gets high grades from the rating agencies, though like others it is facing mounting pressure.

39.   If both rating agencies upgraded Enron, the return would fall slightly.

40.   In assessing this risk, the rating agencies analyze the financial condition of each of the tobacco companies.