Also

* Yields on the U.S. Treasury’s 9 1/2-year inflation-indexed notes rose at the government’s auction of the securities. The Treasury sold $6 billion of the notes at a yield of 2.34%, up from 2.26% at the last auction, Oct. 9, 2002. The Treasury received bids equal to 2.22 times the amount of the notes sold. That compares with a bid-cover ratio of 1.36 at the previous auction, suggesting greater demand.

* Tribune Co., which owns the Los Angeles Times, named Patrick Mullen president of the company’s broadcasting unit to oversee Tribune’s 24 television stations, including KTLA-TV Channel 5, its entertainment division and a Chicago radio station.

* Liberate Technologies, a San Carlos, Calif., maker of software for cable and satellite-TV set-top boxes, said it will lay off about 180 employees, 30% of its workforce.

* Activision Inc. extended its pact with Marvel Enterprises Inc. to develop video game titles for six more years. Terms were not disclosed.

* Satellite television service DirecTV Latin America said it could seek bankruptcy protection in the United States if it cannot restructure certain costs and debts.