S&P cuts ABN on merger, Fitch likely to affirm

Standard & Poor’s today (Friday) downgraded the long term rating of ABN Amro from A+ to A, on stable outlook, in advance of the bank’s merger with Fortis Bank Nederland on 1 July. Fitch on Wednesday said that it expects to affirm ABN Amro’s rating on completion of the merger, but cut the bank's individual rating.