Bharti Airtel shares gain; S&P upgrades rating

Reuters Market Eye - Shares of Bharti Airtel rise after Standard & Poor's Ratings Services upgrades the company's ratings, traders said.

S&P, late on Thursday, raised Bharti's long-term corporate credit rating to 'BBB-' from 'BB+'.

The rating agency says the upgrade reflects expectation that Bharti will use its significant free operating cash flows and funds from strategic measures to reduce its leverage to a level that is in line with an "intermediate" financial risk profile.

Bharti shares were trading 4.2 percent higher at 298.95 rupees as of 1.05 p.m.

(Reporting by Indulal PM)