S&P plans no changes in Russia's sovereign rating in 2002

The international credit rating agency Standard & Poor's said it saw noroom for changes in Russia's sovereign rating this year after the country'srating was upgraded in July. "You should not anticipate changes in thesovereign rating in the short term because we have recently changed it andbecause the outlook is stable," said Scott Bugie, a managing director inStandard & Poor's Financial Services Group.In July, Standard & Poor's raised Russia's long-term sovereign rating todouble B minus (BB-) from single B plus (B+), a level the country was lastat in 1997. S&P also assigned Russia a stable outlook. "That means thatpractically speaking it is unlikely there will be changes in the rating(again) this year, but we could see some changes next year," the RussiaJournal quoted Bugie as saying..