Credit rating firm Moody's warned that a shutdown of the U.S. federal government would be "credit negative" for the U.S. Why it matters: Moody's is the last of the big three credit rating firms that still bestows the cherished "triple-A" rating on the U.S., which indicates U.S. government bonds are among the safest investments on earth. Catch up quick: Fitch Ratings stripped the U.S. of its AAA rating in August, citing the debt ceiling fight and governance issues. • S&P Global downgraded the U.S. from AAA back in 2011 after a similar debt ceiling fight. State of play: The House Republican conference has been ... (full story)