Given that Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's use different rating grading, Table 1 provides the comparative review of both sovereign credit ratings.

Credit ratings issued by both agencies distinguish between several categories relevant to credit rating and credit risk criteria graded using letters A through C, or D to that effect. Each credit rating category includes rating grades depending on the actual appraisal of the country's position, whether it is strong, average or rather poor. In so doing, to rate these specific grades the Moody's Investors Service uses numeric grades, while the Standard & Poor's uses plus (+) or minus (-) grades.

Both credit rating agencies provide outlooks in terms of trends that specific rating might report in future. Outlook is rated by using a descriptive rate, including positive, stabile, negative and developing outlook. Positive outlook means that a credit rating could be upgraded, stable means that a rating probably would not be changed, negative outlook means that a rating could be downgraded and developing outlook (contingent upon an event) means that a rating could be upgraded, downgraded or affirmed.