Also

* Ratings company Standard & Poor’s said it might boost Levi Strauss & Co.’s credit, citing expectations the struggling jeans maker will show improvements in its full-year results and liquidity position. Standard & Poor’s placed its ratings on Levi Strauss on a positive credit watch, signaling an upgrade could follow.

* Kaiser Permanente said Chief Financial Officer Robert E. Briggs has resigned. Kathy Lancaster, the Oakland-based health insurer’s vice president for strategic planning, has been named interim finance chief.