ML-Implode News - China's Rating Cut Exposes Firms Hooked on Dollar Borrowing

While Chinese companies' foreign-currency debt is only a fraction of the $9 trillion local bond market,Â China Inc. is on pace for record dollar bond sales this year after the authorities' crackdown on financial leverage drove up borrowing costs at home. Overseas borrowing has also been part of the government's strategy to encourage capital inflows in a bid to ease the depreciation pressure on the yuan.
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Moody's lowered China's rating to A1 from Aa3 on Wednesday, citing a worsening debt outlook. Moody's also downgraded the ratings of 26 non-financial corporate and infrastructure government-related issuers by one level. China's Finance Ministry blasted the move as "absolutely groundless," saying the ratings company has underestimated the capability of the government to deepen reform and boost demand.

"The economy is dependent on policy stimulus and with that comes higher leverage," Marie Diron, associate managing director, Moody's Sovereign Risk Group, said on Bloomberg Television after the announcement. "Corporate debt is really the big part."

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China's Rating Cut Exposes Firms Hooked on Dollar Borrowing