BIZWATCH : MARKETS.

MARKET LOGIC: A late round of bargain hunting saved the Dow Jones industrial average from ringing in the new year the way it rang out the old. But most stock measures suffered sizable losses for the second straight session after another unexpectedly strong economic reading heightened worries about inflation.

MEMO

AREA CODE SPLIT: The 805 area code may be split within two years. One of the largest area codes in the state, 805 includes northern parts of Los Angeles County, most of Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Kern counties and all of Santa Barbara County.

ALMOST-EQUAL PAY: Women are making slow headway toward parity with men in the workplace, say the authors of a new study, ``Women, Work and Family in America.'' It showed that women brought home 72 percent of men's wages in 1994, compared with 59 percent in 1970. However, the study also found that in some cases, women had to work more hours and that some gained only because men's wages were relatively stagnant. The study, released Thursday, also noted that women remain responsible for most housework and child care.

KINKO'S EXPANSION: Ventura-based Kinko's Inc. has completed combining the 130 business entities operating under the Kinko's name into a single corporate structure as part of a $214 million investment by New York-based Clayton Dubilier & Rice Inc. The funds, representing a 30 percent ownership stake, will be used to help finance Kinko's international expansion, as well as continued penetration of U.S. markets with high growth prospects and leading-edge communication and computing technologies.

SETTLEMENT REACHED: Woodland Hills-based Health Net and Weiss Ratings have reached a settlement ending their two-year legal dispute over Weiss's 1994 rating of Health Net. Weiss had been sued by the HMO for defamation and unfair competition, then made a claim for reimbursement of attorneys' fees and costs. Both sides have dropped their claims, and each will bear its own attorneys' fees and costs in the litigation. Both have agreed not to discuss the settlement or litigation.

MOVIE DEAL: Film producer Yaletown Entertainment has signed a $2 million contract with writer-director Bob Logan and his Studio City company, Loganworks Ltd. to write and direct five movies for Yaletown. Logan, whose credits include ``Repossessed'' and ``Meatballs IV,'' will receive a 6.25 percent interest in Vancouver-based Yaletown, which also has mineral interests in South America.

FLIGHT ATTENDANTS: Over the objections of justices who called it a ``pretext for age and sex discrimination,'' a divided New York state appeals court ruled there was nothing illegal with Delta Air Lines' refusal to hire 10 overweight flight attendants. The State Supreme Court's Appellate Division said in a 3-2 ruling that under New York and federal law, ``employers are entitled to impose rules and regulations governing the appearance of their employees.''

SALE OF STOCK: Chatsworth-based International Remote Imaging Systems Inc. has sold $3 million of preferred stock to Thermo Amex Convertible Fund. It will use the funds for general corporate purposes, paying part of a loan and common stock repurchases.

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2 Charts

Chart: (1--Color) DOW INDUSTRIALS

(2--Color) BIZ FACTS

WHERE THE CARS ARE

Number of motor vehicle registrations, 1994, for top five countries

Knight-Ridder Tribune ggraphics Network