One of the major credit rating agencies signaled that it could downgrade the U.S. rating as a result of the political standoff over extending the debt ceiling. Fitch Ratings put the United States' "AAA" credit rating "rating watch negative" Tuesday, indicating that it is under review for a downgrade, citing the gridlock in Congress over raising the debt limit. "Although Fitch continues to believe that the debt ceiling will be raised soon, the political brinkmanship and reduced financing flexibility could increase the risk of a U.S. default," the rating agency wrote in a statement. The Fitch warning comes after the other two main credit rating agencies also warned that the U.S. rating could be slashed if the debt limit isn't dealt with before Thursday's deadline.
