Moody's upgrades Cyprus a notch to Ba3 on strong growth

The Moody's international rating agency has raised Cyprus' credit grade by one notch to Ba3, citing strong economic growth and the government's solid fiscal performance.

The agency said Friday it is also keeping a positive outlook on the east Mediterranean island nation's economy.

Moody's says it expects growth to be sustained by private consumption and increased revenue from record tourism that accounts for around 13.2 percent of Cyprus' economy.

The agency says Cyprus has also continued to outperform fiscal targets, helping to push down a high debt burden that in 2016 was 108 percent of gross domestic product.

Cyprus nearly went bankrupt in 2013 when a banking crisis coupled with overspending forced it to seek a multibillion-euro rescue deal from its eurozone partners and the International Monetary Fund.