Skip to main content

Featured Post

Market Daily Report: Bursa Malaysia Ends Higher In Line With Most Regional Markets

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia ended higher on Friday in line with most Asian markets, mirroring gains from Wall Street, where investors welcomed the US Federal Reserve's substantial interest rate cut. The FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) rose by 3.17 points, or 0.19 per cent, to 1,668.82 at the close from Thursday's close of 1,665.65. It opened 5.03 points higher at 1,670.68, trading between 1,668.48 and 1,674.04 throughout the session. In the broader market, gainers outpaced decliners 732 to 468, while 465 counters were unchanged, 850 untraded and 32 suspended. Turnover swelled to 4.19 billion units worth RM5.97 billion, from Thursday's 3.99 billion units worth RM4.08 billion. UOB Kay Hian Wealth Advisors head of investment research, Mohd Sedek Jantan, noted the FBM KLCI's gains were led by utilities, logistics, and banking stocks, reflecting improved market sentiment. Additiona
Post a Comment

UK's Southern Water Faces 'Junk' Rating Downgrade Amid Mounting Sector Challenges

Moody's has placed Britain's Southern Water on a warning for a "junk" rating downgrade, just days after stripping Thames Water of its investment-grade status.

Key Points:

  • Moody's Concerns: The rating agency cited UK regulator Ofwat's draft decision to limit customer bill increases and Southern Water's looming fines as primary concerns.
  • Current Rating: Southern Water currently holds a Baa3 rating, the lowest investment-grade rung.
  • Regulatory Decision: Ofwat's draft determination prevents Southern from raising bills as much as requested, impacting its investment program funding.
  • Fines and Penalties: Southern Water faces substantial fines, including at least £35 million in "Outcome Delivery Incentive" penalties, with potential ongoing annual fines of £19 million to £60 million if improvements are not made.
  • Pollution Reduction: Southern Water is mandated to reduce pollution incidents by 81%, significantly more than other water companies, which face less than a 30% reduction requirement.
  • Funding Needs: Moody's estimates Southern Water needs to raise £4.5 billion in debt and equity by the end of the decade. Maintaining a leverage ratio of 70% requires over £800 million in net equity contributions, with no certainty of investment from its majority owner, Macquarie.

Company Response:

Southern Water, majority-owned by Australian investment firm Macquarie, stated that Moody's warning has "no material impact" on its operations, highlighting over £850 million in available liquidity.

Next Steps:

Moody's will conclude its rating review after Ofwat releases its final price determination plan in December but may act sooner if substantial new information arises.

Conclusion:

Southern Water's financial stability is under scrutiny as it faces regulatory restrictions and significant penalties, casting doubt on its ability to maintain its current rating without substantial new equity and debt funding.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

INTC Share Watch and News

Stock Info Market Monitor Company Profile Intel Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells integrated circuits for computing and communications industries worldwide. It offers microprocessor products used in notebooks, netbooks, desktops, servers, workstations, storage products, embedded applications, communications products, consumer electronics devices, and handhelds. The company also offers system on chip products that integrate its core processing functionalities with other system components, such as graphics, audio, and video, onto a single chip. It also provides chipset products that send data between the microprocessor and input, display, and storage devices, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, hard drive, and CD or DVD drives; motherboards that has connectors for attaching devices to the bus, and products designed for desktop, server, and workstation platforms; and wired and wireless connectivity products, including network adapters and embedded wireless cards used to translat
1 comment
Read more

Analysts See Asset Resilience of Bank of Chengdu Benefiting Hong Leong Bank

Analysts predict that the asset quality of Bank of Chengdu, in which Hong Leong Bank Bhd holds a 19.76% stake, will remain robust due to its strict risk management policies and proactive measures. Key Takeaways: Strong Risk Management Practices : According to CIMB, Bank of Chengdu has adopted a conservative risk culture, performing thorough assessments of location, developer reputation, project viability, and management integrity before financing property projects. The bank closely monitors early warning signals like construction progress, sales progress, budget overruns, and fund usage by developers to mitigate potential risks. Proactive Measures Against Property Slowdown : The bank's precautionary measures allowed it to reduce exposure to problematic property loans and exit risky loans before China's property market slowdown. This conservative approach is expected to benefit Hong Leong Bank by minimizing potential asset quality concerns. Continued Optimism and Buy Recommendat
Post a Comment
Read more

Investors Keep Buying US Junk Debt Despite Weak Protections

  When US-based construction material supplier Wilsonart issued a junk bond to raise US$500 million (RM2.13 billion) for an acquisition this summer, a research firm warned potential investors about the bond's weak protections. The bond’s covenants could allow the company to move valuable assets to another entity and raise more money, potentially disadvantaging bond investors, according to Covenant Review , a research firm. This warning comes amid growing concerns in credit markets as more companies engage in practices like "liability management exercises," where they borrow more against the same assets. These practices, often favoring some creditors over others, have been dubbed "creditor-on-creditor violence," prompting some creditors to unite to protect their interests. Despite the warnings, investors eagerly purchased Wilsonart's offering, underscoring a paradox in US credit markets. While investors face the consequences of weak covenants, they continu
Post a Comment
Read more