Moody's sounds alarm over GOP civil war, political polarization

Credit ratings agency Moody's changed its outlook on the U.S. to negative from stable on Friday, citing concerns over fiscal risks and increased political divisions that it said could "constrain" policymakers from taking actions needed to get the world's largest economy on the right path with budgetary policy.

Moody's is the only ratings agency that has yet to downgrade the U.S. In August, Fitch lowered the country's rating to a notch below its top level, following the deadlock in Washington over raising the debt ceiling, suggesting that such disagreements undermined confidence in fiscal policymaking.