Business and Finance
APPLE COMPUTER posted flat earnings for the latest quarter despite a 19% rise in sales and an 85% jump in Macintosh shipments. The unexpectedly low profit, reflecting Apple's emphasis on lower-priced models, sent its stock price down $9.50, or 13%, to $62.25 a share.</br></br>APPLE COMPUTER posted flat earnings for the latest quarter despite a 19% rise in sales and an 85% jump in Macintosh shipments. The unexpectedly low profit, reflecting Apple's emphasis on lower-priced models, sent its stock price down $9.50, or 13%, to $62.25 a share.</br></br>Stock and bond prices climbed despite the Fed's reluctance to lower interest rates. The Dow Jones industrials rose 12.38 points to 2933.17 in active trading, but over-the-counter stocks lost ground. The dollar fell.</br></br>Stock and bond prices climbed despite the Fed's reluctance to lower interest rates. The Dow Jones industrials rose 12.38 points to 2933.17 in active trading, but over-the-counter stocks lost ground. The dollar fell.</br></br>---</br></br>---</br></br>Metropolitan Life plans to take the lead role in overseeing First Executive's New York insurance unit, which is widely expected to be seized by regulators as early as today.</br></br>Metropolitan Life plans to take the lead role in overseeing First Executive's New York insurance unit, which is widely expected to be seized by regulators as early as today.</br></br>First Executive's woes may benefit the biggest and best-known insurance companies as more customers ask questions about insurers' health.</br></br>First Executive's woes may benefit the biggest and best-known insurance companies as more customers ask questions about insurers' health.