NASHVILLE (AP) — Moody's Investors Service has revised Tennessee's credit outlook from negative to stable.

Moody's in October retained its top debt rating for Tennessee but gave the state the negative outlook following an earlier decision to do the same with the federal government's debt.

The ratings agency said in a statement Wednesday that the outlooks of Tennessee and South Carolina were improved because they have a relatively low financial and economic exposure to reductions in federal spending.

Moody's said it kept the outlooks for Maryland, New Mexico and Virginia at negative.

Tennessee also has a top rating from Fitch Ratings, while Standard and Poor's has the state at one notch below its best grade.