Illinois avoids downgrade to 'junk' — for now

Illinois finally gets a budgetIllinois narrowly avoided becoming the first U.S. state ever slapped with a “junk” credit rating from S&P Global Ratings after it passed its first budget in more than two years.The ratings firm removed the threat of an imminent downgrade for the fifth most populous state in the country on Wednesday, ruling that the Illinois budget deal has lowered the risk of a “liquidity crisis.” Now the state is rated one-notch above “junk”