Determinants of Estonian Sovereign Credit Rating

Andres Vesilind (), Ingrid Toming () and Raoul Lättemäe ()

No 2001-03, Bank of Estonia Working Papers from Bank of Estonia

Abstract: The paper focuses on sovereign credit ratings assigned to Estonia and analyses their possible determinants. The first chapter gives an overview of different rating agencies and the methodology they use in rating process. Besides that the interpretation, comparability and explanatory power of different ratings are analysed. The chapter concludes with the description of Estonian rating history. The second chapter analyses the possible determinants of Estonian rating. Firstly, the possible problems in analysing the determinants are discussed. Secondly, the factors that have been seen as important determinants of ratings in theoretical literature or previous empirical researches are presented. The third chapter analyses empirically the determinants of Estonian credit rating. For this purpose, Estonia is analysed in the context of three country groups: former socialist countries, developed European countries and countries having similar ratings. Also the factors that different rating agencies have pointed out in their reports about Estonia are compared with the empirical results. The chapter concludes with the comparison of the results of the analysis and SWOT analysis. The results of the paper show that the most critical factors for Estonia that can constrain possible rating upgrade in the future are low nominal level of per capita GDP, high unemployment rate and high CA deficit. At the same time it should be looked after that other important indicators that have a strong relation with rating (such as inflation, fiscal balance, foreign debt level and speed of transition and EU accession) are kept under control.

New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-fin and nep-fmk
Date: 2001-10-12, Revised 2001-10-12
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