The United States and Britain are more likely than Germany and France to witness an embarrassing downgrade of their top debt ratings, agency Moody's Investors Service said Monday. In a quarterly report assessing the prospects of the triple-A-rated countries, Moody's warned that economic recovery remained fragile in many advanced economies. Governments and central banks are looking at when and how to unwind their massive stimulus measures. Some experts warn that exiting these policies too early risks creating a new economic downturn, but they are also straining government finances. For now, Moody's said, the triple-A governments don't face an immediate threat to their top ratings, though debt affordability is "most stretched" in Britain and the U.S.

- Associated Press