Fitch Updates Ratings Definitions

Effective today, Fitch Ratings has updated its Ratings Definitions in order to clarify ratings characteristics of Servicer Ratings and descriptions of when Bank Support and Viability ratings are assigned.

Servicer Rating attributes are discussed by rating category on a one through five scale. These factors are also included in an updated 'Rating Criteria for U.S. Residential and Small Balance Commercial Mortgage Servicers', to be published Jan. 30, 2014.

The descriptions of when Bank Support and Viability ratings are assigned is also included in an updated report titled 'Global Financial Institutions Rating Criteria' to be published Jan. 31, 2014.

Changes have been made to the Ratings Actions section of the Ratings Definitions available on the Fitch website, 'www.fitchratings.com'.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE. FITCH MAY HAVE PROVIDED ANOTHER PERMISSIBLE SERVICE TO THE RATED ENTITY OR ITS RELATED THIRD PARTIES. DETAILS OF THIS SERVICE FOR RATINGS FOR WHICH THE LEAD ANALYST IS BASED IN AN EU-REGISTERED ENTITY CAN BE FOUND ON THE ENTITY SUMMARY PAGE FOR THIS ISSUER ON THE FITCH WEBSITE.

Fitch Ratings
Eileen Fahey
Managing Director
[phone]
Fitch Ratings, Inc.
70 West Madison St.
Chicago, IL 60602
or
Trevor Pitman
Group Managing Director
[phone]
or
Media Relations:
John Baron, [phone] (Bogota)
[e-mail]