Standard&Poor's Ratings Services assigned its 'A-1+' short-term rating to Merrill Lynch and Co. Inc.'s term tender custodial receipt: $39.6 million series 2008T, related to California Statewide Communities Development Authority variable-rate revenue bonds, series 2003G and $5.3 million series 2008U, related to California Statewide Communities Development Authority variable-rate revenue bonds, series 2003H; all of the series were issued for Trinity Health, Mich. The 'A-1+' rating reflects Trinity Health's commitment to use its own liquidity if necessary to support expected irrevocable, unconditional tender offers of the underlying bonds: on Nov. 19, 2008, for the bonds related to the 2008T custodial receipts and Dec. 4, 2008, for the bonds related to the 2008U custodial receipts. If exercised, the proceeds of the
