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Italian bank contests against Moody’s rating

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world’s oldest bank still in business, on Friday contested a credit rating downgrade by Moody’s to ‘junk’ status saying its financial situation was solid.

Moody’s downgraded the bank from a rating of Baa3 to a non-investment status of Ba2 on worries that the government’s recapitalisation plans will prove insufficient, saying it was probable the bank would require more support. Critically exposed to the eurozone debt crisis, BMPS was forced in June to accept a government bailout, borrowing roughly USD 1.87 billion in order to pay off its debt and shore up its capital. The bank has also said it would lay off 4,600 people by 2015. Fabrizio Viola, director general of the bank which was founded in 1472, was quoted by Dow Jones Newswires as saying he ‘absolutely did not agree’ with the downgrade. ‘It refers to figures which have long been known and which refer to 2011 and the first half of 2012’ before the bank’s restructuring plan, he said. M&M, Ssang to develop new engine platforms.

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