LONDON, June 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --  Fitch and CRU Group today announced an expansion of the existing strategic agreement, under which CRU's metals and mining market expertise is incorporated into Fitch's industry research and credit analysis, to include the fertilizer markets. The combined research applies to all Fitch-rated issuers in the fertilizer sector.

Fitch and CRU commenced the partnership in October 2017 focused on metals and mining. The initiative aimed to provide investors with enhanced analytical insight into key rating drivers, individual and industry cost dynamics, as well as direct contact with CRU's global team of analysts – a combined service superior to contemporary market offerings. The decision to expand the offering to include fertilizers follows a very positive reception from market participants in the metals and mining sector. The additional insights provided by the combination of Fitch and CRU's analytics and data has provided investors with a more comprehensive platform on which to base their investment decisions and to price risk.

Ian Linnell, President of Fitch Ratings, said: "We are delighted with the progress made since we entered into this partnership and with the positive reaction we've seen from end users of our ratings and research. We pride ourselves on the quality and transparency of our analysis and the inclusion of CRU's detailed assessments of prices and costs for the fertilizer sector will help to further differentiate our offering from our competitors."

David Trafford, Chief Executive Officer, CRU Group, said: "Expanding our strategic agreement with Fitch by incorporating CRU's Fertilizer analysis is testament to the success of our partnership in the metals and mining sector. Our shared values and commitment to providing business intelligence will benefit all our customers in the fertilizer markets."

Fitch Ratings and CRU share a similar approach to how they deliver world-class analysis. Both firms are committed to independent analysis and transparency, have highly experienced analytical teams around the world, and understand the importance of enhancing knowledge through direct engagement with the market.

Rating reports incorporating CRU content can be accessed via Fitch's dedicated web pages. They are also offered as part of a regular Fitch subscription.

Read the full story: https://www.crugroup.com/about-cru/news/2019/fitch-and-cru-group-expand-strategic-agreement-to-incorporate-fertilizer-analysis/  

Read more about CRU: http://bit.ly/About_CRU

About CRU

CRU offers unrivalled business intelligence on the global metals, mining and fertilizer industries through market analysis, price assessments, consultancy and events.

Since our foundation by Robert Perlman in 1969, we have consistently invested in primary research and robust methodologies, and developed expert teams in key locations worldwide, including in hard-to-reach markets such as China.

CRU employs over 280 experts and has more than 11 offices around the world, in Europe, the Americas, China, Asia and Australia – our office in Beijing opened in 2004 and Singapore in 2018.

When facing critical business decisions, you can rely on our first-hand knowledge to give you a complete view of a commodity market. And you can engage with our experts directly, for the full picture and a personalised response.

CRU – big enough to deliver a high-quality service, small enough to care about all of our customers.

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SOURCE CRU