Not even an 86 percent increase in the price of crude oil since February is enough to right Alaska’s finances. The energy-rich state, which plans to sell $128 million of bonds on Wednesday, lost its AAA rank from the three biggest credit-rating companies this year amid a political standoff over how to close a $4 billion budget deficit — equivalent to about $5,400 for every one of its 738,000 residents. While the price of crude has climbed back to almost $49 a barrel, Alaska once counted on it holding above $100 and hasn’t cut spending enough to make up for the drop, according to Moody’s Investors Service. “The rebound to $50 per barrel is nice, but it won’t make up for the gap between revenues and expenditures,” Moody’s analyst Dan Seymour said. “It’s ultimately an unsustainable situation.” The swing in the price of oil has put a squeeze on […]

Posted in: USA