Another wave of corporate dealmaking stoked investors’ confidence in the economy and carried stocks sharply higher Monday.

A crucial, middle-of-the-night test vote behind them, Senate Democrats on Monday remained on track to pass historic health care legislation by Christmas, preparing for more votes at odd hours to overcome unanimous Republican opposition.

SAN FRANCISCO—-Fitch Ratings takes the following rating action on Banning Community Redevelopment Agency, California as part of its continuous surveillance effort:

MINNEAPOLIS—-MoneyGram International , a global leader in the payment services industry, today announced that it has provided notice to its debt holders that on Dec. 22, 2009, it will make an optional $40 million prepayment on its tranche B term loan under the senior secured credit facility.

MINNEAPOLIS—-MoneyGram International , a global leader in the payment services industry, today announced that Jeffrey R. Woods, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will be departing the company for personal reasons on Jan. 15, 2010.

NEW YORK—-Fitch Ratings assigns an ‘AA’ rating to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina’s approximately $12 million in general obligation bonds, series 2010A. The bonds will be issued as direct subsidy Build America Bonds and are expected to sell Jan. 20, 2009.

GREAT NECK, N.Y.—-While other banks are scaling back on small business lending, Community National Bank the fastest growing community bank on Long Island, continues to fill the void left by other larger institutions and is growing in the area of small and medium size business banking.

The Upper Midwest should see a gradual economic recovery next year, although high unemployment rates aren’t predicted to change much, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis said Monday.

WASHINGTON—-Seeking to strengthen the country’s electrical grid infrastructure, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced that the Eastern Interconnection Planning Collaborative as well as state groups from the eastern interconnection will share in $60 million of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus funds to support the transmission planning process.

VIENNA, Va.—-MicroTech announced today a five-year contract award from the U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency to provide technical management support for the Global Combat Support System-Joint Computer Lab program.