FRANKFURT (Standard&Poor's) Jan. 13, 2009--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services said today it affirmed its 'AAA/A-1+' long- and short-term sovereign issuer credit ratings on the Republic of Austria. The outlook is stable. "The ratings continue to reflect Standard&Poor's opinion on the country's wealthy, modern, and competitive economy, flexible labor and goods markets, and moderate wage policies that support growth, competitiveness, and employment," said Standard&Poor's credit analyst Alois Strasser. "We believe these factors, as well as the absence of significant asset or credit bubbles, should help Austria to weather the current economic crisis comparatively well. The exceptionally large general government sector and the already high level of general government debt are rating weaknesses." In 2008, Austria's
