standard and poor’s

Royal Caribbean Joining S&P 500
Caribbean Cruise

Cruise Season Begins in St. Maarten With Five-Ship Day

 st maarten cruise season

The Caribbean cruise season is officially underway in St. Maarten. On Thursday, five cruise ships — Azamara Quest, Star Pride, Valiant Lady, Star of the Seas, and Independence of the Seas — docked at Port St. Maarten, bringing thousands of passengers and signaling the start of the 2025–2026 high season. “The port has done its […]

standard and poor’s

Moody's Follows S&P, Downgrades Puerto Rico to Junk Status

Above: San Juan (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Moody’s Investors Service has downgraded the general obligation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to Ba2, or “junk” status, the New York-based firm announced Friday. The move follows a similar downgrade by Standard & Poor’s earlier this week. “The problems that confront the commonwealth are […]

standard and poor’s

Puerto Rico Rating Downgraded to Junk Status By Standard and Poor's

Above: San Juan (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Standard & Poor’s has lowered its rating on the government of Puerto Rico’s general obligation debt to junk status, the New York-based ratings firm announced Tuesday. The firm lowered Puerto Rico’s debt to “BB+” from “BBB-“, also downgrading Puerto Rico’s appropriation secured debt and employee […]

standard and poor’s

Puerto Rico Governor Meets With Rating Agencies in New York

Above: Alejandro Garcia Padilla By the Caribbean Journal staff Puerto Rico Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla has concluded a trip to New York City. The Governor was in New York to meet with representatives of ratings agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor’s, joined by his economic team. The purpose of the trip was aimed at “keeping […]

Puerto Rico Rating Downgraded to Junk Status By Standard and Poor's

 Above: Bridgetown (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Standard & Poor’s has lowered the outlook on its long-term rating on Barbados to negative, the New York-based ratings firm announced. S&P also announced that it had affirmed the country’s “BB+” long-term and “B” short-term sovereign credit ratings. The firm said the outlook reflected “the potential […]

S&P Downgrades Grenada Credit Rating

Above: Grenada (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Standard & Poor’s has lowered its foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Grenada to “SD” from “CCC+/C,” citing the announcement that the country would not pay its coupon due March 15. That coupon is due on the country’s US dollar and Eastern Caribbean dollar-denominated […]

S&P Raises Curacao Outlook to Stable

 Above: Curacao By the Caribbean Journal staff Standard & Poor’s has affirmed its ratings on the government of Curacao and raised the island’s outlook to stable from negative, the New York-based ratings agency announced. Curacao’s government has “A-” and “A-2” long-term and short-term credit ratings, respectively. “The outlook revision reflects a series of measures taken […]

Standard & Poor's Raises Jamaica Credit Rating After Debt Exchange

 Above: Kingston (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Following a similar move by Fitch last week, Standard & Poor’s has raised Jamaica’s foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings to “CCC+” and out of default. The move came after the completion of Jamaica’s debt restructuring, known as NDX. The firm also raised its short-term […]

Standard & Poor's Places Puerto Rico Highway Bonds on Negative Watch

Above: Puerto Rico By the Caribbean Journal staff New York-based Standard & Poor’s has placed a group of highway-related bonds in Puerto Rico on CreditWatch with negative implications, citing insufficient reporting. The bonds, which include a BBB+ rating on the Puerto Rico Highway & Transportation Authority’s highway revenue bonds, a BBB rating on the PRHTA’s […]

S&P Maintains Negative Outlook on Jamaica, Citing Debt, Low Growth

 Above: Kingston By the Caribbean Journal staff Standard & Poor’s has maintained its negative outlook for Jamaica, while affirming its “B-/B” long and short-term sovereign credit ratings on the country, the ratings firm announced. “Our ratings on Jamaica reflect its high general government debt and interest burden; limited fiscal, monetary and external flexibility; and low […]

Grenada Government: Standard and Poor's Ratings Action "Premature"

Above: St George’s (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Standard & Poor’s decision to lower Grenada’s foreign currency ratings this week following a missed bond payment was “premature,” the country’s government said in a statement. Grenada said that the terms of agreement for its 2025 Notes provide a grace period of 30 days after […]

S&P Lowers Grenada Foreign Currency Ratings After Missed Bond Payment

Above: Grenada (CJ Photo) By the Caribbean Journal staff Standard & Poor’s has lowered its foreign currency sovereign credit ratings on Grenada following a missed bond payment, the ratings firm announced Monday. S&P has lowered its foreign currency sovereign credit ratings to “SD,” or selective default, from “B-/B,” while also lowering its local currency sovereign […]