Fitch to Provide Outlooks for U.S. SF Deals

Fitch Ratings has announced plans to provide Rating Outlooks on U.S. structured finance bonds in response to a positive reception to its Rating Outlooks for European structured transactions. Fitch introduced the outlooks in June 2007 to European asset-backed securities, commercial mortgage-backed securities, and residential MBS transactions. "Fitch is issuing Outlooks in response to market requests for more forward-looking information about possible future rating changes," said John Bonfiglio, group managing director and head of U.S. Structured Finance. Rating Outlooks -- which may be Positive, Negative, Stable, or Evolving -- indicate the likely direction of any rating change over a one- to two-year period, Fitch said. They will be applied at the individual bond level and updated concurrently with a rating review for each transaction. Fitch can be found on the Web at http://www.fitchratings.com.