Rating
A judgment by a rating agency as to the credit quality of a bond.
bond-basics
Upgrade (Ratings)
The increasing of a Rating by a Rating Agency. Higher Ratings indicate higher credit quality.
See Also
In Contrast To
Downgrade (Ratings)
The lowering of a rating by a Rrting agency. Lower ratings indicate lower credit quality.
Start with the Bond Basics
Hundreds of Terms and Concepts
Interest Rate Swap
A type of derivative, in which the interest rate on the bonds is swapped, or exchanged, by the issuer for an agreed-upon fixed rate or variable rate based upon an index, calculated on a notional principal amount.