{"id":71976,"date":"2026-09-18T23:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T03:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/moodys-upgrades-greece-outlook-to-positive-trump-announces-greenland-security-pact\/71976\/"},"modified":"2026-09-18T23:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T03:08:17","slug":"moodys-upgrades-greece-outlook-to-positive-trump-announces-greenland-security-pact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/moodys-upgrades-greece-outlook-to-positive-trump-announces-greenland-security-pact\/71976\/","title":{"rendered":"Moody\u2019s Upgrades Greece Outlook to Positive; Trump Announces Greenland Security Pact"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Moody\u2019s Ratings upgraded Greece\u2019s credit outlook to &quot;positive&quot; from &quot;stable,&quot;<\/strong> affirming its <strong>Baa3<\/strong> investment-grade rating as structural reforms drive the debt-to-GDP ratio toward a projected <strong>120% by 2030<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>President Donald Trump announced a &quot;historic&quot; security agreement with Denmark and Greenland<\/strong>, claiming the U.S. will have <strong>permanent control over security<\/strong> in the Arctic territory at &quot;no cost&quot; to the American taxpayer.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paramount Global (<a href=\"\/stock\/PARA\">PARA<\/a>) is reportedly weighing the sale of cable assets, including Comedy Central,<\/strong> as it navigates complex merger negotiations with Warner Bros. Discovery (<a href=\"\/stock\/WBD\">WBD<\/a>) and legal challenges from 12 U.S. states.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The IMF warned of a &quot;significant&quot; economic contraction for Lebanon in 2026,<\/strong> with inflation remaining in the double digits due to regional conflict, despite some progress in budget management.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China\u2019s market regulator launched an investigation into a Meituan (<a href=\"\/stock\/MPNGY\">MPNGY<\/a>) subsidiary<\/strong> for alleged unfair competition, signaling a renewed crackdown on the nation&#39;s food delivery sector.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Moody\u2019s Signals Confidence in Greek Economic Recovery<\/h2>\n<p>Moody\u2019s Ratings revised Greece\u2019s outlook to <strong>positive<\/strong> on Friday, citing the country\u2019s robust track record of structural and fiscal reforms. The agency affirmed Greece\u2019s <strong>Baa3<\/strong> rating, noting that private-sector investment and improved tax administration have significantly strengthened the nation\u2019s economic resilience.<\/p>\n<p>Greece\u2019s debt-to-GDP ratio, which peaked at <strong>209.4% in 2020<\/strong>, fell to <strong>146.1% in 2025<\/strong> and is expected to reach <strong>120% by 2030<\/strong>. The government has accelerated debt repayment, planning to prepay <strong>\u20ac13 billion<\/strong> by the end of 2026, which Moody\u2019s describes as a <em>structurally favorable<\/em> move for debt affordability.<\/p>\n<h2>Trump Claims Victory with Greenland Security Deal<\/h2>\n<p>President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States has reached a security pact with Denmark and Greenland that grants Washington <strong>&quot;FOREVER&quot;<\/strong> the ability to defend the territory. While the deal stops short of the full annexation Trump previously suggested, it reportedly prohibits non-NATO countries from building bases on the mineral-rich island.<\/p>\n<p>Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed the prospect of an agreement, though she emphasized it recognizes <strong>Greenland\u2019s sovereignty and territorial integrity<\/strong>. The deal is expected to be signed next week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York, pending parliamentary ratification.<\/p>\n<h2>Media Giants Navigate Merger Hurdles and Asset Sales<\/h2>\n<p>Paramount Global (<a href=\"\/stock\/PARA\">PARA<\/a>) is considering divesting several cable channels, including <strong>Comedy Central<\/strong>, to streamline operations amid ongoing merger talks with Warner Bros. Discovery (<a href=\"\/stock\/WBD\">WBD<\/a>). The potential <strong>$111 billion<\/strong> merger faces significant headwinds, as <strong>12 states<\/strong>, led by California, have sued to block the deal on antitrust grounds.<\/p>\n<p>Negotiations hit a snag recently when California Attorney General Rob Bonta canceled settlement talks, accusing Paramount of <strong>&quot;acting in bad faith&quot;<\/strong> by allegedly leaking confidential details. Paramount is currently prepared to take on approximately <strong>$80 billion in debt<\/strong> to finance the buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery.<\/p>\n<h2>Global Economic and Geopolitical Developments<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Lebanon&#39;s Crisis:<\/strong> An IMF mission concluded that while Lebanon has improved budget management, the <strong>Hezbollah-Israel conflict<\/strong> will cause a sharp economic contraction in 2026. The mission urged the completion of banking sector reforms to protect depositors and restore fiscal sustainability.<\/li>\n<li><strong>China Tech Crackdown:<\/strong> The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is investigating Meituan (<a href=\"\/stock\/MPNGY\">MPNGY<\/a>) unit <strong>Beijing Sankuai Information Technology<\/strong>. The probe focuses on suspected violations of unfair competition laws, specifically targeting &quot;price wars&quot; and &quot;irrational&quot; subsidy campaigns.<\/li>\n<li><strong>North Korea Modernization:<\/strong> Leader Kim Jong Un stated that military modernization is driving a <strong>&quot;significant change&quot;<\/strong> in the country&#39;s war plans. State media KCNA reported that North Korea will reject recent IAEA resolutions, maintaining its status as a nuclear-armed state.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Vitol Bribery Sentencing:<\/strong> Javier Aguilar, a former oil trader for <strong>Vitol<\/strong>, was sentenced to <strong>four years in prison<\/strong> for a scheme involving over <strong>$1 million in bribes<\/strong> to officials in Ecuador and Mexico. The case involved more than <strong>$500 million<\/strong> in oil and gas contracts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Moody\u2019s Ratings upgraded Greece\u2019s credit outlook to &quot;positive&quot; from &quot;stable,&quot; affirming its Baa3 investment-grade rating as structural reforms 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