Summary: The study provides a General description of the activities of the leading international rating agencies, identified the main types of ratings (credit, non-credit, short-term, long-term, carried out by international or national scale), presents objects of rating, reviewed conventions used to assess the quality commitments of various objects when drawing up ratings of leading international agencies, identified the prospects for further development of the reporting agencies with regard to environmental factors.

The ambiguity of the assessment activities of the agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch Ratings on the Russian market due to their negative assessment of the long-term sovereign rating of Russia as a national and international scale, this in early 2015. By estimations of representatives of government, business and experts this forecast is clearly pessimistic in nature and reflects the political dependence of agencies from Western countries and USA. Speaking about the prospects and future of the international rating agencies on the Russian market, it should be noted that in Russia adopted the law on the activities of credit rating agencies to limit the possibility of global agencies, Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch Ratings assign ratings in Russia on a national scale.

Presented in the work of the information may be of interest for further deeper exploration of the issues, determine the range of problems to be solved by establishing sovereign credit ratings on national and international scale.

In addition, the proposed in the work information can also serve as a basis for further evaluation of the degree of influence of the political environment on the formation of sovereign ratings, prospects of development of the activities of international rating agencies on the Russian market, directions of improving the legislation on rating agencies.

Keywords: rating Agency, international scale, the political circumstances, the Russian market, financial institution, securities.

Summary. In modern conditions the use of ratings is relevant not only in national economy but also abroad. Speaking about the prospects and future of the leading agencies, it should be noted that their work will be relevant in the long term due to the increasing uncertainty of the external environment that causes the increased risk of insolvency of the various stakeholders on debt obligations, delinquency in their performance. In addition, intensifies the need to invest funds in different objects, which leads to the need of investors and depositors in the investment. The use of ratings is important on the world stage, as the processes of globalization, the intensification of economic life has considerably strengthened the world economy of national economies.

Information presented in the paper may be interesting for further deeper exploration of the issues, identify the range of problems to be solved by international ratings of the issuers and their securities, various funds, insurance companies, banking institutions, countries, States, government agencies, corporate organizations, corporate governance. In addition, the proposed in the work information can also serve as a basis for further comparison of the activity of international agencies in terms of the applied assessment tools, scales and services offered.

Key words. Rating agency, debts, innovations, rating appropriation, forecasts.