Funding Risks
The New Zealand Crown remains in the top-20 rated sovereigns globally, with the top Aaa foreign-currency rating from Moody's and AA foreign-currency ratings from Standard & Poor's and Fitch. The outlook is stable across all three agencies.
The downside risks identified by the rating agencies are broadly in line with the risks identified earlier in the chapter. In the case of an increase in global risk-aversion and in the absence of a marked improvement in the external position, New Zealand may be more likely to face a degree of funding pressure in the future. All things being equal, any further deterioration in the ratings outlook could serve to raise debt-servicing costs for the Crown. On the other hand, additional downward pressure on borrowing rates is possible if diversification flows, particularly away from Europe, continue in the future.
