U.S. companies raise dividendsIn another sign of a...

U.S. companies raise dividends

In another sign of a business revival, U.S. companies increased their dividends last month at the strongest rate in a decade, Standard & Poor's said yesterday.

For 1993, S&P said U.S. corporations boosted dividends 1,635 times, an increase of 23 percent from 1992 and the best year since 1989. And there was less negative news on dividend activity, with only 87 reductions and 106 omissions announced in 1993, down from 131 reductions and 146 omissions in 1992, S&P said.

@