MARKET TALK: $20B Not Enough To Stem Downgrade

2017 GMT [Dow Jones] BP's CFO said Wednesday he hoped the $20B fund and suspension of the dividend would calm fears surrounding the company and that he was in close contact with Moody's and S&P with a view to keeping the AA rating (bit late to do that with Fitch). Well clearly it hasn't worked, with S&P downgrading BP Thurs and keeping the stock on Creditwatch with negative implications. The same caution seems to be creeping back into the markets, with BP's shares slipping in U.S. trading and its credit default swaps a bit wider again after contracting sharply earlier in the day. The notion that the creation of the $20B fund helped put some sort of line in the sand concerning BP's potential liabilities doesn't seem to be holding in investors' minds as well as it did on Wed. (grainne.mccarthy@dowjones.com) Contact us in New York. Darlene Ross, 212 416-2166; darlene.ross@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires June 17, 2010 16:20 ET (20:20 GMT)