S&P confirms top credit ratings for Finland

The international credit rating agency Standard and Poor's on Wednesday reaffirmed a top credit rating for Finland, citing its strong public finances and stable economic outlook. "The ratings on the Republic of Finland reflect our view of the country's competitive economy and the government's prudent fiscal policy record," the agency noted in a statement.
S&P upheld a previous AAA rating conferred on Finland one year ago, while noting that "Finland has a highly cyclical and open economy, making it vulnerable...to weakening external conditions." Its observations have recently been echoed by analysts in Finland, who noted that events in the wider eurozone area could threaten economic growth in the Nordic state. S&P said Finland has "a superior political and economic profile" and that it was one of the governments with the strongest finances in the AAA category.