Goodyear's credit rating lowered

AKRON (Jan. 27)—Goodyear's financial slide in 2002 has prompted Moody's Investors Service to downgrade the company's long-term debt rating one level to Ba2 from Ba1. The tire maker's poor results last year, particularly in North America, "and the outlook for a continued challenging business environment" contributed to the decision, Moody's said. Standard & Poor's, another primary credit rating firm, trimmed the company's rating on its debt two levels in December.