Regulatory Affairs & News

 

SEC Form NRSRO

The agency's current Form NRSRO, as filed with the United States' SEC, and associated public exhibits are accessible under the hyperlinks on this page.  Questions on Fitch Ratings' regulatory status should be directed to heather.merrigan@fitchratings.com, in the Americas or sharon.raj@fitchratings.com, outside the Americas.


External Credit Assessment Institution (ECAI) Recognition

In recent months, detailed reviews have been conducted by bank regulators to determine which rating agencies’ ratings will be considered eligible for Basel II purposes.  Those rating agencies whose ratings are deemed appropriate for this purpose are referred to as External Credit Assessment Institutions (ECAIs).  Although the timing of Basel II implementation, and ECAI recognition, varies by country, Fitch Ratings has been accepted as an ECAI in each marketplace where a decision has been taken on international agency eligibility.  A list containing the current status of Fitch Ratings' ECAI recognitions is accessible from the hyperlink below.  For further information, please contact sharon.raj@fitchratings.com.


Fitch Ratings History Sample

This ratings history sample is being provided by Fitch Ratings in response to an SEC requirement that each NRSRO provide, on a six-month delayed basis, rating action histories for a randomly selected sample of 10% of its issuer-paid credit ratings in each of the following five rating classes (the Classes) in which such NRSRO has issued 500 or more credit ratings: Financial Institutions, Insurance, Corporates, Asset Backed Securities and Municipal/Government Securities. Using an Oracle-based program, on August 7, 2009, Fitch Ratings randomly chose 10% of its then current, active long-term credit ratings in each of the Classes and posted all of the credit ratings and the entire ratings histories of the entities or securities (collectively, the Credits) associated with such long-term credit ratings. Fitch Ratings shall update the credit histories of each Credit that it has chosen on a monthly basis and will keep each Credit in the ratings history sample until such Credit reaches maturity, is paid-off or is withdrawn. Whenever one Credit is removed, another Credit from the same Class will be randomly selected to replace it. Fitch Ratings will adjust the size of the ratings history sample to reflect any material changes in its overall number of credit ratings. The file containing the ratings history sample can be found as a hyperlink on the left side of this screen. Please contact david.weinfurter@fitchratings.com, for any additional information.


Complete Ratings History Disclosure

Fitch Ratings is disclosing its entire ratings history pursuant to an SEC requirement that each NRSRO disclose ratings history information for 100% of its credit ratings initially determined on or after June 26, 2007, with each ratings action to be disclosed no later than twelve months or twenty-four months after it is taken, depending on whether the rating is issuer-paid.   Any ratings action information required under the 100% disclosure requirement with respect to issuer-paid credit ratings need not be made public less than twelve months from the date such ratings action is taken.  A ratings action on a rating that is not issuer-paid need not be made public less than twenty-four months from the date it is taken.  The Commission believes that ratings history information for outstanding credit ratings is the most direct means of comparing the performance of two or more NRSROs. The file containing the complete ratings history disclosure can be found as a hyperlink on the left side of this screen. Please contact david.weinfurter@fitchratings.com, for any additional information.




Other Policy and Regulation Topics


In the News

27 Aug 2010 Fitch Ratings Applies for Registration Under EU Regulatory Framework
13 Aug 2010 Fitch Reports on 'The Rating Process'; Updates Code of Conduct
13 Aug 2010 Fitch Publishes Updates to Various Global Master Criteria
11 Aug 2010 Fitch Provides Update on Roll-out of Structured Finance Modifier
23 Jul 2010 Fitch Releases Market Letter with Perspectives on Implementing Dodd-Frank Act
19 Jul 2010 Fitch Comments on U.S. Financial Reform Act's Implication for Credit Rating Agencies
27 May 2010 Fitch Letter to the Editor in Response to WSJ Article Regarding 'Rating Shopping'
26 May 2010 Statement of Keith Buckley, GMD, Global Insurance, Before the U.S. Congressional Oversight Panel Regarding AIG
24 May 2010 Fitch Updates Plan to Address SEC Rule 17g-5; SEC Exemption & Required Representations
22 Apr 2010 Fitch Announces Plan to Address SEC Rule 17g-5
31 Mar 2010 Fitch: Global Application of SEC's Rules on SF Credit Ratings
22 Feb 2010 Fitch Response to FDIC's Advanced Notice of Public Rulemaking
19 Feb 2010 Fitch to Adopt Symbol for Global Structured Finance Ratings
02 Feb 2010 Fitch Comment Letter to SEC on November 2009 Proposed Rules for NRSROs
25 Jan 2010 Fitch Names New Chief Credit Officer and New Chief Compliance Officer
21 Jan 2010 Fitch Ratings Names Paul Taylor President
21 Jan 2010 Fitch Group Names New Director of Finance & Administration
05 Jan 2010 Fitch Response to NAIC Exposure Draft on Credit Rating Agencies
14 Dec 2009 Fitch Response to SEC Proposed Rule and Concept Release — Credit Rating Agencies
30 Sep 2009 Statement from Steve Joynt at House Financial Services Committee
05 Aug 2009 Statement by Fitch CEO Stephen Joynt to the Senate Banking Committee
19 May 2009 Statement by Fitch CEO Stephen Joynt to Congressional Subcommittee on Approaches to Improving Credit Rating Agency Regulation
23 Apr 2009 Fitch Comments on Recently Announced EU Regulation on Credit Rating Agencies
14 Apr 2009 Statement by Fitch CEO Stephen Joynt to SEC Roundtable on Oversight of Credit Rating Agencies
06 Apr 2009 Fitch Comments on Connecticut Attorney General's Announcement
25 Mar 2009 Fitch Comment Letter to SEC on 2009 Re-proposed Rules for NRSROs
12 Nov 2008 Statement by Fitch CEO Stephen Joynt on Today's European Commission Proposals on Credit Rating Agencies
22 Oct 2008 Statement by Fitch CEO Stephen Joynt to United States House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
11 Jun 2008 Statement by Fitch CEO Stephen Joynt on Today's SEC Proposals
05 Jun 2008 Fitch Enters Into Agreement with New York Attorney General on U.S. RMBS Practices
13 May 2008 Fitch Updates Market on Steps to Enhance Transparency & Restore Confidence
22 Apr 2008 Fitch to Discuss Role of Credit Rating Agencies before U.S. Senate Committee
20 May 2008 Robert Grossman to Lead Fitch U.S. Public Finance
13 Mar 2008 Fitch Ratings Statement on Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson's Comments
24 Sep 2007 Order Granting Registration of Fitch, Inc. as a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization
25 Jun 2007 Fitch Ratings Files NRSRO Application
05 Feb 2006 Fitch Applies for ECAI Status in Europe


Recent Research

13 Aug 2010 The Rating Process
19 Jul 2010 Ensuring Reliability & Transparency in the Ratings Process – An Update
05 Feb 2009 Ensuring Reliability and Transparency in the Ratings Process
05 Sep 2008 Fitch Comment on European Commission Draft Directive/Regulation with respect to the Authorisation, Operation and Supervision of Credit Rating Agencies
05 Sep 2008 Fitch Comment on European Commission Working Document: Tackling the problem of excessive reliance on ratings
25 Jul 2008 Response to SEC's Proposed Rules for Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations
28 Apr 2008 Joint Response to the Tech Committee of the IOSCO Report on Role of Credit Rating Agencies in Structured Finance Mkts
31 Jul 2007 Response to the CESR Questionnaire on the Rating of Structured Instruments
24 Aug 2006 Unsolicited Ratings and Basel II