LONDON (Standard&Poor's CreditWire) Jan. 13, 2000--Standard&Poor's today assigned its triple-'A' long-term and its 'A-1'-plus short-term counterparty credit and certificate of deposit ratings to Oberoesterreichische Landesbank AG (Hypo OOE). The outlook is negative. The ratings on Hypo OOE are based exclusively on the deficiency guarantee (Ausfallbuergschaft) of the State of Upper Austria and the state's strong incentives and commitment to meeting its obligation in a timely manner. The state owns 51% of the bank's shares, and intends to remain the majority shareholder and guarantor for the bank's obligations to creditors. The credit quality of the State of Upper Austria reflects its excellent financial performance and very low debt levels. Furthermore an increasingly well-diversified economy, which is growing
