Moody's rating agency raises outlook to 'stable' for 18 corporates and banks

New Delhi: Moody’s Investors Service on Wednesday raised the rating outlook for 18 Indian corporates and banks, including Reliance Industries, Infosys, SBI and Axis Bank, to ‘‘stable’’ from ‘’negative’’. This follows the upgrade by the US-based rating agency in India’s sovereign rating outlook to ‘‘stable’’ from ‘’negative’’ on Tuesday. The agency had affirmed the sovereign rating at ‘‘Baa3’’. The nine companies whose rating outlook has been revised upwards are RIL, TCS, Infosys, ONGC, Petronet LNG Ltd, UltraTech Cement, Oil India, Indian Oil Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL). The agency also affirmed the rating on privatisation-bound Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), but maintained the ‘’negative’’ outlook. The nine banks whose outlook has been revised to ‘‘stable’’ are SBI, Axis Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, PNB, Union Bank and EXIM Bank. “Stabilization in asset quality and improved capital are the main drivers of this rating action,” Moody’s said. Also, the rating outlook has been revised to ‘‘stable’’ from ‘’negative’’ on 10 Indian infrastructure issuers, including NTPC, NHAI, PGCIL, Gail, Adani Transmission and Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ). Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost