Massachusetts

Standard & Poor’s assigned its A long-term rating to the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency’s Series 2011 bonds issued for Clark University and affirmed the underlying A on outstanding bonds issued for the university by the agency.

The Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board approved a plan aimed at increasing investments with smaller money-management firms.

James MacDonald will become Massachusetts' first deputy treasurer effective Dec. 1, state Treasurer Steven Grossman announced.

Navjeet Bal will join law firm Nixon Peabody LLP as counsel on Oct. 3, but the outgoing Massachusetts revenue commissioner is no stranger to private practice, having worked in the public finance group of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo PC for 17 years.

Armed with an upgrade, Massachusetts will go to market Wednesday with $475 million of general obligation bonds.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley approved the sale of bankrupt nonprofit Quincy Medical Center to for-profit Steward Health Care System LLC, while imposing many conditions.

The Massachusetts Senate approved an overhaul of the state’s pension system on Thursday after a debate that divided majority Democrats uneasy about offending their political base.

Transportation Secretary Richard Davey warned that closing the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s budget deficit next year without fare hikes or service cuts would be “very difficult.”

Legislation enabling three Las Vegas-style casinos and one slot parlor in Massachusetts is credit negative for casinos throughout the Northeast, but particularly for those in neighboring Connecticut and Rhode Island, Moody’s Investors Service said.

With a bond offering pending in two weeks, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and other officials are making pitches to the three major credit agencies to improve the state's bond rating.

Treasurer Steven Grossman said Massachusetts' recent move to become the fourth state to have more than $1 billion in its rainy-day account sends an emphatic message.

The Salem City Council will reconvene Sept. 8 to give second and final approval to two bond issues.

Berklee College of Music is planning a $90 million bond sale to help finance construction of a performance center, dormitory and dining hall at its main Boston campus.

Fitch Ratings upgraded Massachusetts’ special obligation highway revenue bonds to AA-plus from AA with a stable outlook. The agency said the move was part of its continuous surveillance effort.

Massachusetts’ $30.6 billion budget for fiscal 2012, which restored $65 million in local aid and improved the ability of governments to manage health-care costs, is a credit-positive for municipalities, Moody’s Investors Service said.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority has completed its $142 million sale of federally subsidized qualified school construction bonds.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Aug. 9 at Quincy High School on the proposed $38 million sale of Quincy Medical Center Inc. to Steward Health Care System LLC.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority on Wednesday will sell $142.4 million of qualified school construction bonds through negotiation.

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has asked a bankruptcy judge to review the proposed $38 million sale of Quincy Medical Center Inc. to Steward Health Care System LLC.

Gov, Deval Patrick on Monday signed Massachusetts' $30.6 billion budget, 11 days into the new fiscal year.