Credit-rating firms held regional banks in high regard — until two of the biggest banking failures in U.S. history, the Wall Street Journal reported. Rapid collapses at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank cast doubt on whether bondholders will ever be repaid. Uninsured depositors worried they would lose their money before regulators stepped in to guarantee those funds. When the banks failed, both had high marks from ratings firms. Though Wall Street and regulators have also often struggled to predict meltdowns, the collapses marked the latest blemish for the firms’ track records for warning of financial distress. Last week, the threat of a Moody’s downgrade prompted emergency fundraising efforts by Silicon Valley Bank. Those events spooked depositors, helping spark a run on the lender. Moody’s downgraded some of its ratings on Silicon Valley Bank and its parent company on March 8, but not below investment grade, and it affirmed its strong assessment of the bank’s short-term deposits.