Following the announcement, the ratings agency placed Westinghouse on credit watch with what it called "developing implications."

Standard & Poor's put Duke on credit watch since the combined company could be weaker financially because of an increase in debt.

The county remains under a credit watch by bond rating agencies.

Moody's Investors Service put the bank on credit watch last week for a possible downgrading.

The credit watch makes no change in the company's rating.

The warning came from Standard & Poor's, which issued "a credit watch with negative implications."

The firm put the state's public debt on "credit watch with negative implications," a status that reflects concern about the projected $2 billion budget gap.

Cyprus was already on credit watch, and Greek debt has been downgraded to junk status.

The agency is expected to deliver a verdict on the credit watch in January.

While S.& P. has a negative outlook on the companies, it does not have them on a more serious credit watch.