OREANDA-NEWS. Australia's economy has been affected by China's slowing economic growth, but the infrastructure sector remains stable as core demand remains intact and additional investment and recycling of assets is expected to continue, according to Fitch Ratings latest semi-annual global infrastructure newsletter.

Over time, this can be a positive for the region and for U.S. and European private placement investors who purchase Australian assets.

Fitch's newsletter also focuses on the following:

--The revision to the Availability Payments Criteria with a more detailed focus on operational costs as well as the inclusion of specific guidance on the level of all-cost breakeven to achieve a certain rating level.
--A piece on European toll roads discussing traffic performance which differed substantially among rated peers reflecting national economic conditions and competition.
--A first-of-a kind peer review of U.S. managed lanes providing a snapshot of the Fitch-rated U.S. ML portfolio, including key rating factors for each rated project.
--A new report on FX in Infrastructure Project Finance as currency devaluation, in the face of a strong U.S. dollar, has increased FX risks for infrastructure projects.
--Links to Fitch's new FACT tools for U.S. airports and ports that provide an interactive excel interface to compare key financial information for Fitch-rated issuers in the U.S.