Fitch gives Portugal “ratings hope”

The ratings game that has kept Portugal in the doldrums for so many years appears finally to be turning a corner. Fitch – one of the ‘big four’ – has kept the country’s status at “junk level” but upped the perspective çast Friday from “stable” to “positive”. Finance minister Mário Centeno concedes ratings agencies are “slow” with re-evaluation processes, but Portugal is hoping for an upgrade “within the next few months”.