[Blackstone Predicts Anthropic May Receive Junk Rating After IPO, Facing Financing Pressure on Over $800 Billion AI Computing Power Plan] BlockBeats reported on October 31st, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Blackstone, an investor in a recent $63 billion chip financing deal with Anthropic, indicated that Anthropic may not immediately receive an investment-grade rating after its IPO. Major rating agencies are expected to assign it a BB range rating, or speculative grade (commonly known as "junk"). According to S&P and Fitch's rating systems, BBB- and above are investment grade, while BB+ and below are speculative grade. If Anthropic ultimately receives a junk rating, its financing costs may increase, and the range of funds available to institutions restricted by investment-grade investment plans, such as insurance companies and pension funds, will also narrow. The financing pressure primarily stems from Anthropic's massive computing power spending plans. The company previously disclosed plans to invest over $800 billion in computing infrastructure by 2045. Despite Anthropic currently holding over $112 billion in cash and equivalents and planning to raise further funds through an IPO, its long-term computing power commitments continue to raise concerns among investors regarding its future funding needs and debt-bearing capacity. Following the report's release, US tech stocks fell further, with the Nasdaq 100 index ultimately closing down 3.5%. However, Anthropic has not yet received formal credit ratings from S&P, Moody's, or Fitch, and Blackstone's assessment is not a formal rating result. [Original Link]