BUSINESS BRIEFS

Jobless

Initial claims for state unemployment-insurance benefits increased by 32,000 to a seasonally adjusted 637,000 in the week ended May 9, the latest setback to hopes that the recession was nearing an end. Even more troubling, the num ber of people staying on the benefit rolls after collecting an initial week of aid touched a record high for the 15th straight week early this month.

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart said profit was flat at $3.02 billion for its fiscal first quarter ended April 30, but on a per- share basis it earned 77 cents, up from 76 cents a year earlier.

Stanford plea

Laura Pendergest- Holt, 35, the ex-chief in vestment officer of Stanford Financial Group pleaded not guilty to charges of ob structing an SEC inves tigation of an alleged $8.5 billion fraud.

Bag charge

United Airlines will charge passengers $5 extra to check bags at the airport, matching a move by US Airways last month. Customers will have to pay $20 for the first checked bag and $30 for the second one if they do so at the airport. Checking in online will be $5 less for each bag.

DirecTV

DirecTV was blocked by a court order from running ads that a Charter Communica tions unit said misleads consumers about the status of its bankruptcy case. The Charter unit had sued DirecTV on May 11, accusing it of unfair competition and defamation.