FitchRatings on April 12 affirmed the AAA long-term foreign and local currencyissuer default ratings of the U.S., with a stable outlook.

Fitch alsoaffirmed the issue ratings on the country's senior unsecured bonds at AAA, the countryceiling at AAA, and the short-term foreign currency IDR at F1+.

Accordingto Fitch, the AAA rating of the U.S. is underpinned by the sovereign's"unparalleled financing flexibility" as the issuer of the world'spre-eminent reserve currency and benchmark fixed-income asset and as home tothe world's deepest and most liquid capital markets.

The deficitand debt outlook has deteriorated since Fitch's last review, although itremains well within the tolerance of the AAA rating, according to the rating agency.