Standard and Poor’s (S&P) gave Slovakia an A+ rating with a stable outlook. The rating agency is forecasting fast economic growth for the country, debt reduction and continuing interest from investors, according to the Slovak Ministry of Finance. S&P foresees 3 percent growth between 2017 and 2020, with low external debt and a gradual decrease of public debt. The finance ministry wrote that Slovakia is attractive for foreign investors, and the development of a Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing plant near Nitra is expected to attract an additional €100m in foreign investment. The Slovak banking sector is also stable and well capitalized, with a reasonable proportion of bad debts. S&P pointed to regional differences, in particular the country’s aging population and long-term unemployment, as drawbacks.
