KIEV, Feb 16: Standard and Poor’s warned on Monday that it could cut Ukraine’s credit ratings in the next two weeks amid concerns the country will not receive the next instalment of an IMF loan.

It said in a statement that Ukraine’s ‘B’ long-term foreign currency and ‘B+’ local currency sovereign credit ratings had been placed on “credit watch with negative implications.” Ukraine’s rating could be lowered by one or more notches, it added.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been due to issue a second slice worth $1.9 billion (1.47 billion euros) of a $16.4 billion loan to see Ukraine through the economic crisis.

—AFP