Moody’s has followed in the footsteps of credit rating agencies S&P Global and Fitch Ratings, downgrading their AAA rating on U.S. debt. The move comes amid ongoing challenges associated with mounting U.

Moody's on Friday downgraded the credit rating of the United States by a notch to "Aa1" from "Aaa", citing rising debt and interest "that are significantly higher than similarly rated sovereigns."

Financial ratings firm Moody’s Ratings downgraded the U.S. government’s credit ratings Friday, citing its rising debt and interest in a move that underscores a ballooning federal budget deficit, making it the last of the big three firms to downgrade the government’s credit.