Credit rating agencies are likely to hold off passing judgment on the U.S. fiscal cliff deal until they have a clearer picture about the fate of the debt ceiling and longer term plans to reduce borrowing. The New Year agreement between the White House and Congress raised taxes on the richest Americans but postponed much of the toughest political wrangling on automatic spending cuts for another two months. Also, the bill does not address the $16.4 trillion debt ceiling, which was hit on Monday. Instead, the Treasury Department will deploy "extraordinary measures" to allow additional borrowing of about $200 billion, ... (full story)