Things are getting even tougher in Puerto Rico! Yesterday, the rating agency Standard & Poor’s delivered a massive blow to the already struggling Commonwealth by downgrading its debt to "junk" status. The debt rating was lowered to BB+ from BBB- as a result of the government’s inability to raise funds through its Development Bank. According to S&P, the downgrade could potentially cause initial cash calls from creditors in the neighborhood of $940 million. Confidence is extremely low in the municipal bond market of Puerto Rico. Liquidity is likely to dry up as borrowing rates expand upwardly. Going forward, S&P has placed a "negative watch" rating on the Commonwealth’s debt. (Image source: barrons.com)