OREANDA-NEWS. Fitch Ratings has published the U.S. Utilities, Power, and Gas (UPG) Fourth-Quarter Ratings Dashboard. This report highlights the rating actions taken in the UPG universe during the fourth quarter of 2015.

Rating activity within the U.S. Utilities, Power and Gas (UPG) group during the quarter included one first-time rating, 44 affirmations, three upgrades, along with one negative and two positive revisions to Rating Outlooks. Positive rating actions were driven by individual company specific factors while continued merger activity was a catalyst for the negative rating action.

Fourth-quarter issuance activity for companies under Fitch's coverage was strong following a tepid third quarter, totaling $10.2 billion, and reflected the sector's robust access to capital markets and expectations of rising interest rates.

Fitch has also published an Excel worksheet titled ' Fourth-Quarter Rating Action Summary Report ' that provides a list of rating actions, issuance activity, Fitch's published research, and sector rating trends during the fourth quarter.