HONG KONG (AP) — Global shares fell Monday and U.S. futures and the dollar also weakened after Moody’s Ratings downgraded the sovereign credit rating for the United States because of its failure to stem a rising tide of debt.

The downgrade marks the end of an era: Moody’s had maintained a pristine “Aaa” rating on the United States since first assigning it in 1919. It is the last of the three major credit rating agencies to lower its assessment of U.S. creditworthiness, following earlier cuts by Fitch and Standard & Poor’s.

Financial ratings firm Moody’s Ratings downgraded the U.S. government’s credit ratings Friday, citing its rising debt and interest in a move that underscores a ballooning federal budget deficit, making it the last of the big three firms to downgrade the government’s credit.