Fitch Maintains Italy's Issuer Rating on Economy, 'Comparatively Strong' Governance Metrics

MT Newswires · 3d ago
12:36 AM EDT, 09/14/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Fitch Ratings affirmed Italy's BBB+ long-term issuer default rating, with a stable outlook, highlighting the country's "large, increasingly diversified and high value-added" economy alongside "comparatively strong" governance indicators. The rating agency on Sept. 11 said it still sees Italy's robust commitment to adhering to the European Union's fiscal rules and practicing prudent fiscal management. Fitch forecasts "broadly unchanged" deficits from 2026, alongside a 0.3pp increase in primary balance. On the other hand, Fitch flagged that Italy's rating is tempered by "very high" government debt and "limited" midterm growth upside. It expects Italy's debt/gross domestic product ratio to peak at 138.2% in 2026, then ease gradually beginning in 2027.