U.S. Debt Earns A First Time Negative Report

 For the first time ever, the ratings agency Standard & Poor's has issued a "negative" outlook on debt issued by the U.S. government. The company cited concerns about Washington's ability to manage the federal budget, given the ongoing debate on how to cut spending, and how deeply to cut it. The agency did not reduce America's Triple-A credit rating, although its new outlook increases the risk of that action. Since 1860, S&P ratings have been used by investors as an indicator of the relative risk of an investment, in this case of U.S. bonds.