Pace of credit rating downgrades accelerate amid Covid-19 pandemic: ICRA

12 Jun 2020 Evaluate

The credit rating agency ICRA in its latest report said that the pace of credit rating downgrades has accelerated with average monthly downgrades increasing by 22 percent in the past few months amid the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) across the globe as well as in India. It said that from its rated portfolio, while the number of downgrades has increased, upgrades have nearly dried up.

According to the report, of the 315 negative rating actions taken by ICRA on non-financial sector entities in the period between March 1 and May 15, a majority of them were attributable to the pandemic outbreak. It also said nearly half of these negative rating actions have been downgraded (150), while a significant proportion (122) has also undergone a change in outlook to negative. The rating agency has also placed 43 entities on the ratings watch list, given the current uncertainties with regards to the pandemic and the evolving situation.

The report further stated that negative rating actions have so far impacted only 9.6 percent of the rated portfolio of corporate sector entities. It highlighted that some of the sectors on which a negative rating action has been taken by ICRA include aviation, hotels and restaurants, retail, textile, automotive and real estate. It also noted that with the impact of the pandemic across sectors being multifold, including slowdown in domestic demand and the global economy, supply chain disruptions, foreign exchange rate fluctuations, and commodity price impact, among others; and the general uncertainty with regard to timing of revival, negative rating actions have increased, while upgrades have dried up.

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