Bangkok--18 Aug--Standard & Poor's Standard & Poor's U.S. investment-grade composite credit spread widened to 276 basis points (bps), 8 bps wider than the previous day. By comparison, this is more than 83% wider than the five-year moving average and 35% wider than at the beginning of the year. With continued pressure on financial institutions and banks, the investment-grade credit spread is expected to remain range-bound at present high levels. Standard & Poor's U.S. speculative-grade composite credit spread moved slightly to 770 bps, 2 bps wider than the previous day. By comparison, this is 34% wider than the start of the year and 81% wider than the five-year moving average. The speculative-grade credit spread is poised for continued volatility, commensurate with an escalation in speculative-grade defaults over the course of this year. Media Contact: Mimi Barker, New York (1) 212-438-5054 [email protected] Analyst Contact: Diane Vazza, New York (1) 212-438-2760