EU rescue fund gets top rating hat trick boost

BRUSSELS, Oct 30 (AFP): The eurozone's rescue fund said Saturday that triple-As from all three rating agencies should encourage investors to back the bloc's strategy but warned it could take three years to resolve the debt crisis. The across-the-board AAA rating came a day after the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) chief Klaus Regling was in Beijing courting Chinese investment to support the crucial bailout fund. The highest possible rating was confirmed on the basis of amendments decided in July that took effect on October 18, bringing the fund's lending capacity to 440 billion euros ($622 billion), with a guaranteed commitment of 780 billion euros, EFSF said in a statement.