OREANDA-NEWS. S&P Global Ratings affirmed its 'AA+' general obligation (GO) rating, 'AA' appropriation rating, and 'A+' moral obligation rating on Alaska's debt and removed the ratings from CreditWatch, where they had been placed with negative implications on June 9, 2016. The outlook is negative.

"The removal of the ratings from CreditWatch reflects our view that although the legislature did not approve fiscal reforms sought by the governor to address the state's structural budget deficit, his nearly $1.3 billion in vetoes put the state on track to have similar fiscal results as if it had," said S&P Global Ratings credit analyst Gabriel Petek.

"The outlook is negative, however, reflecting that while the vetoes buy the state additional time, they do not represent a solution to the state's structural deficit," Mr. Petek added.