Lisbon’s bonds rise on outlook

Portugal’s bonds rose the most since June after the country’s finance chief said that rating company DBRS has a positive assessment of the nation’s fiscal efforts, strengthening the government’s conviction that it will keep its investment-grade rating.

“I heard very positive comments and notes,” finance minister Mario Centeno said in an interview in Washington late last week after a lunch meeting with DBRS.

“Basically the position they have is that they feel very comfortable about our fiscal position, which they labeled ‘very strong’. Of course, our expectation is that they will not change the outlook or the grading that we have.”