Bangkok--31 Jul--Moody's Investors Service Moody's Investors Service sees a stable rating outlook for the Asia-Pacific metals and mining sector. "Industry fundamentals over the next 12 months will be supported by continued strong prices, underpinned by solid demand across a range of products," Moody's says in a new report. Authored by Moody's Senior Vice Presidents Terry Fanous and Alan Greene, the report examines the outlook for ratings on the sector in Asia (ex Japan), and considers the effects on the sector of continued price strength, increased cost pressures, and consolidation and expansion. Moody's rates nine metals and mining companies in the region, including BHP Billiton, the world's largest resource group, rated A1. By comparison, the sector's other rated companies are medium or small insize. "In the last 1-2 years, most companies have improved their financial positions and are exhibiting financial profiles that are better than their ratings would otherwise indicate," says Fanous. Moody's expects prevailing price trends to continue over the next 6 to 12 months," says Greene. "However, rating upgrades are unlikely in the near term, due to increased cost pressures, rising capital expenditures, the potential for high capital returns to shareholders, and uncertainty about the sustainability of the currently high prices in the long term" he says. The report, part of the Moody's Industry Snapshot series which offer succinct and incisive looks at specific sectors, is entitled 'Industry Snapshot: Asian Metals and Mining Sector', and can be found at www.moodys.com . NOTE TO JOURNALISTS ONLY: For a copy of this report, please contact New York Press Information +1-212-553-0376; EMEA Press Information in London +44-20-7772-5456; Juan Pablo Soriano in Madrid +34-91-310-1454; Henry MacNevin in Milan +39-02-58-215-580; Eric de Bodard in Paris +331-5330-1076; Detlef Scholz in Frankfurt +49-69-707-30-700; Mardig Haladjian in Limassol +357-25-586-586; Alex Sazhin in Moscow +7 495 64118 81; Petr Vins in Prague +4202 2422 2929; Tokyo Press Information +813-5408-4110; Hilary Parkes in Toronto +1-416-214-1635; Hong Kong Press Information +852-2916-1150; Melinda Keating in Sydney +612 92708141; Luiz Tess in Sใo Paulo +5511-3043-7300; Alberto Jones Tamayo in Mexico City +5255-1253-5700; Daniel R๚as in Buenos Aires +54 11-4816-2332 ext. 105; or Reynold Leegerstee in Johannesburg +27-11-217-5471 or visit our web site at www.moodys.com Singapore Alan Greene Senior Vice President Corporate Finance Group Moody's Singapore Pte Ltd. JOURNALISTS: (852) 2916-1150 SUBSCRIBERS: (65) 6398-8308 Sydney Terry Fanous Senior Vice President Corporate Finance Group Moody's Investors Service Pty Ltd JOURNALISTS: (612) 9270-8102 SUBSCRIBERS: (612) 9270-8100