- Standard & Poor's (MHFI) is willing to reopen talks regarding its pending lawsuit with the Department of Justice over the inflated ratings it gave to shoddy mortgage bonds prior to the financial crisis, WSJ reports.
- Those securities cost investors billions when they later soured. Previously, S&P tried to ignore the negotiation process, until the DOJ filed a lawsuit in February 2013. The ratings agency is now looking to settle for up to $1B.
- Ratings agencies have remained largely unscathed by the litigation ensuing after the financial crisis. Most firms have argued that their ratings are independent opinions and statements of fact.