Fitch Ratings Launches New Rating Agency, Derivative Fitch

Related Market Sector:
CDOs

2006-10-18

Fitch Ratings-New York/London/Hong Kong-18 October 2006: Fitch Ratings today announced the launch of Derivative Fitch, the first specialist rating agency designed to provide the credit derivatives market with ratings, research, analytics and evaluation services that address the unique risks of the market.

With the credit derivatives market now approaching $33 trillion in notional value outstanding, the market has become a dynamic element of the global financial economy, as many participants utilize credit derivatives to manage their risk profiles. Unlike the traditional bond market, the structural complexity of the credit derivatives market is quite different as these instruments and securities are affected not only by risk associated with underlying assets but also heightened sensitivities to factors like credit stability and market risk. While hedge funds have been active participants in this market, traditional institutional investors, including pension funds, banks, insurance companies and fund managers, are increasing their participation in this market.

Moreover, while the role, use and performance of credit ratings are well defined in the traditional bond markets, credit derivatives investors and members of the global regulatory community have raised questions about whether traditional ratings alone completely address the risks inherent in the credit derivatives market.

According to a recent paper published by the Bank of International Settlements on credit derivatives, 'the one-dimensional nature of credit ratings based on expected loss or probability of default is not an adequate metric to fully gauge the riskiness of these instruments.'

The International Monetary Fund also recently published a paper mirroring the BIS's sentiments. 'Investors have shown a general preference for increased structural complexity and leverage, rather than greater credit risk. Going forward, rather than using more leverage, further innovations are expected to combine credit risk with other types of risk. The rating agencies should adopt a more differentiated rating scale for structured credit products.'

According to Fitch Ratings Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Joynt, 'credit rating agencies have long played a vital role in helping give investors an informed and valuable third party perspective on credit risk. We've been very successful in the bond markets and today we continue our task of delivering prospective third party ratings, research and evaluation services focused on addressing the specific and expanding needs of the derivatives market.'

Derivative Fitch Today:

Over the past several years, Fitch has invested in and furthered its expertise in the credit derivatives market. In forming Derivative Fitch, the company will consolidate over 100 professionals from its global CDO (Collateralized Debt Obligation) and Structured Credit ratings groups and related complimentary products, analytics and modeling groups to exclusively focus on this market.

Fitch's continuing dialogue with market participants and its ongoing research have revealed that the knowledge requirements that investors need to actively participate in this market are different and broader that those needed in the bond markets. Sound investing requires an integrated perspective on credit and market risk, pricing and liquidity. While the single name swap and index markets are now quite liquid, the newest and most complex product markets are different; private, customized, illiquid and opaque. As with any market, investors with comprehensive understanding of these markets and instruments can make better decisions. The central goal of Derivative Fitch's ratings, products and services is to offer such an improved perspective for investors.

In addition to ratings, some of the products and services that will operate under the Derivative Fitch name include:

--Vector 3.0, a benchmark model for assigning ratings to derivative products;

--Stability Scores, a new service for synthetic CDOs that references corporate portfolios and provides insight into the prospective stability of credit ratings;

--Risk Analytics Platform for Credit Derivatives (RAP CD), a market risk assessment service for synthetic CDOs; Fitch also recently acquired the credit derivatives pricing and risk analytics models from Reoch Credit Ltd and announced a partnership with Markit Partners to incorporate their suite of credit derivatives data and tools into RAP CD;

--Valuspread, a derivatives pricing service enabling market participants to meet their internal and external regulatory requirements and assists investors in accurately assessing and pricing credit risk;

--FitchCDx, an internet based research platform.

'Fitch Ratings has consistently shown both leadership and innovation in its ratings, research and tools to help issuers and investors understand and adapt to an evolving market environment. Creating a stand alone company devoted to the derivatives sector demonstrates our commitment to the important needs of this market and will encourage the innovation and independent thinking needed to address them going forward,' Joynt added.

About Derivative Fitch:

Derivative Fitch is an independent provider of a suite of products and services for the credit derivatives market. The company's goal is to enhance understanding of risk and improve market transparency in the growing credit derivatives sector. As a full service ratings agency, Derivative Fitch focuses on delivering innovative analytics and technology-driven portfolio evaluation solutions by expanding the tools and methodologies used to analyze the credit stability and market risk that characterize structured credit products. A wholly owned subsidiary of Fitch Ratings, the new company is comprised of over 100 professionals in New York, London, Hong Kong, and other major financial centers around the world. For more information, visit 'www.derivativefitch.com'.

About Fitch Ratings:

Fitch Ratings is a leading global rating agency committed to providing the world's credit markets with independent, timely and prospective credit opinions. Built on a foundation of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, Fitch Ratings continues to increase its market presence throughout the world and across all fixed income markets. Fitch Ratings is dual-headquartered in New York and London, operating offices and joint ventures in 51 locations and covering entities in more than 90 countries. Fitch Ratings is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fitch Group, Inc., which is a majority-owned subsidiary of Fimalac, S.A., headquartered in Paris, France.

Contacts: Rachel Hardee, Hong Kong, tel: +852 2263 9918/ rachel.hardee@fitchratings.com; Andrea Muller, Singapore, tel: +65 6336 6801/ andrea.muller@fitchratings.com

Media Relations: Ching-Yuen Lock, Singapore, Tel: +65 6238 7301; Sylvia McKaige, Singapore, Tel: +65 6336 0095.


Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, 'www.fitchratings.com'. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site.



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