The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Moody's Investors Service says it has lifted a "negative outlook" on Barrick Gold and taken a neutral view of the company's credit and debt problems. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe quotes Moody's as saying that Barrick's credit metrics have improved "markedly" with adjusted debt down to $9.2-billion as of June 30, from $13.2-billion at the end of 2014 (all figures U.S.). Moody's adds that Barrick's $2.4-billion in cash and $4-billion of credit as of June 30 give it "significant flexibility to manoeuvre through gold price volatility." It also expects Barrick will meet its objective of reducing its debt load by $2-billion this year. As a result, Moody's has revised its rating outlook for the company to stable, from negative. While Barrick's rating remains at relatively low Baa3, Moody's said it could be upgraded slightly if the company articulates its strategy beyond the current focus on selling non-core assets and reducing debt. Barrick has been downsizing since suffering a number of high-profile blunders. At the same time, the price of gold was trending downward from an all-time high of just over $1,890 an ounce in August, 2011.