Answer EITHER (A) OR (B):
(A) Critically analyse the evidence from the research literature (academic journal articles) on the financial market impact of credit ratings actions.
Your answer must focus on at least two of the following: (i) equity markets; (ii) bond markets; (iii) credit derivatives; (iv) the foreign exchange market; (v) cross-country spillovers.
(B) Answer BOTH parts (i) and (ii).
(i) Critically analyse the evidence from the research literature on split credit ratings. Your answer should include a focus on how financial markets deal with split ratings. (50% weighting).
(ii) Critically analyse the evidence from the research literature on the relative timing of rating agencies actions i.e. the ratings lead-lag literature. (50% weighting).