OREANDA-NEWS. April 27, 2015. Fitch Ratings has updated its national scale money market fund (MMF) rating criteria. The core analytical framework remains unchanged and Fitch does not expect any rating changes as a result of the updated criteria, which is part of our periodic review applicable to any rating criteria.

The new criteria report replaces the previous report of the same name, published on 19 July 2013, and two specific national scale MMF rating factors reports published in February 2012, Assessing Thai Money Market Funds and Assessing Chinese Money Market Funds.

The changes in Fitch's updated criteria are limited and include:
-- Clarification of specific criteria applied to MMFs in countries where Fitch already provides national scale MMF ratings, namely, China, Thailand and Morocco. These include criteria on issuers and counterparties credit quality, portfolio diversification, maturities and portfolio liquidity.
-- Explanation of the general principles Fitch would apply for national scale MMF ratings in new countries.
-- Definition of criteria for MMFs rated below the highest rating level, 'AAAmmf(xxx)', where (xxx) makes reference to national scale ratings in that country.
-- Additional minimum diversification criteria at security level for securities issued by the sovereign for Thai and Moroccan MMFs
-- Details on Fitch's approach for assessing specific characteristics of repurchase agreements in Morocco.

This criteria report applies to MMFs in certain national jurisdictions that seek to achieve principal preservation and provide shareholder liquidity. The national MMF rating scale provide an opinion on a fund's credit, market and liquidity risk relative to the lowest credit, market and liquidity risks available in the fund's country.

Each national rating scale is unique and is defined to serve the needs of the local market in question, providing a relative measure of principal protection and liquidity for rated MMFs only within the country concerned. Consequently, National MMF ratings are identified by the addition of a special identifier for the country concerned, such as 'AAAmmf(chn)' for National MMF Ratings in China.

Fitch's criteria for the assessment of the fund's asset manager and custodian bank do not deviate from its global criteria but will be assessed in the local context. The asset manager is important on several dimensions, including developing and maintaining internal controls, implementing disciplined decision-making processes, providing operational support, and infrastructure capabilities.

Fitch performs the rating and surveillance process for nationally rated MMFs in line with its global criteria.

In certain jurisdictions, Fitch may elect to rate funds marketed as MMFs under its Global Bond Fund Rating Criteria. This reflects Fitch's view that the risk profile of such funds is inconsistent with its expectations for MMFs. This view may be driven by differences between the applicable local regulatory regime and international or national best practices, and structural characteristics of the relevant local market that limit the potential for the fund to effectively diversify, among other factors.

The report, 'National Scale Money Market Fund Rating Criteria' is available at www.fitchratings.com or by clicking the link above.