# Credit Rating

*Markets & Instruments — Finicade finance glossary*

A grade — from AAA down to junk — that agencies assign to a borrower's likelihood of repaying. It shapes the interest a bond must offer, and a downgrade can force big investors to sell.

**Also known as:** bond rating, issuers

**Related terms:** [Credit Spread](https://finicade.com/glossary/credit-spread), [High-Yield Bond](https://finicade.com/glossary/high-yield-bond), [Defaulting on a Loan](https://finicade.com/glossary/default-credit)

**Taught in:** Charter Climb — Fixed Income: The Basics

Source: https://finicade.com/glossary/credit-rating