Non-PRO German to English Bus/Financial Business/Commerce (general) Financial statement

This verb is used in an audit report on a company being investigated for fraud. In this particular instance, two offshore companies have been issuing invoices for services rendered in country x. The audit company has been investigating these offshore companies and has obtained information from Dun&Bradstreet.

The report then goes on to state that ...aufgrund dieser Umstaende raet D&B von einer Geschaeftsbeziehung ab.

Translating this using the usual 'advise against' leaves ambiguity 'On account of these circumstances, D&B advises against a business relationship'.

Does this mean that Dun & Bradstreet advise that there is no business relationship between the two companies or that there should be no business relationship between the two.

Any clarification of the German, if it is indeed clearer, most welcome.

Thanks

Simon