In this week's summary of ratings views: Our latest default forecasts suggest the corporate default rate could hit 4.5% in the U.S. and 3.75% in Europe by June 2024. Measures to stimulate investment are having a measurable impact on U.S. growth. The Q2 results season saw interest payments surge and EBITDA decline sharply. We also look at BRICs expansion, China's growing mineral reach, and sustainable bond issuance forecasts.