how do rating agencies assess non financial sectors such as governments 
rating agencies assess non financial sectors including governments by analyzing factors specific to those sectors for governments they consider fiscal discipline economic growth prospects debt levels political stability and institutional strength be mindful that each rating agency has its own methodology and criteria to evaluate the creditworthiness of governments and other non financial sectors the bottom linerating agencies in the united states regulated by the securities and exchange commission sec assess the creditworthiness of entities and assign credit ratings they consider financial indicators industry analysis and macroeconomic factors in their methodologies the major rating agencies in the u s include standard poor s s p moody s and fitch ratings while they follow similar principles there are differences in their methodologies rating scales and expertise 16