BRIEFCASE PHILIP MORRIS CUTS SOME DISCOUNTING.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

RICHMOND, Va. - Philip Morris USA's wholesalers could generally receive lower discounts starting this week under the manufacturer's new merchandising program, but analysts disagree on whether that will filter down to higher prices for smokers.

Philip Morris, an Altria Group Inc. unit and the largest U.S. cigarette maker, last week notified wholesalers of its new Wholesale Leaders program. It has not made any changes to wholesale list prices, Philip Morris spokesman Brendan McCormick said Wednesday.

Consumer unease defined all of '03

NEW YORK - U.S. overall consumer confidence held steady last week, closing out 2003 with its worst annual performance in nine years, according to the latest weekly ABC News/Money Magazine poll.

The consumer comfort index remained at negative 9 in the week ended Dec. 28, unchanged from the week before, ABC News reported on its Web site Wednesday.

For the year, the index averaged negative 19, the lowest annual level since 1994. In 2002, the index averaged negative 11.

The index bottomed out at negative 28 earlier this year, then spent six months in a rut before recovering nine points in November and December.

Despite the less-than-stellar annual performance, all three components of the index finished the year within two points of their lifetime averages.

Homestore stock listing on NASDAQ 

WESTLAKE VILLAGE - Officials of real estate portal Homestore Inc. announced Wednesday that the firm's stock will begin trading again on The NASDAQ National Market beginning Friday.

The company will retain the HOMS symbol.

Homestore's stock has been trading on the exchanges SmallCap Market since November 2002.

Allergan patent upheld by judge

IRVINE - A judge ruled that a generic version of an anti-inflammatory eye medicine developed by Allergan Inc. infringes on the Irvine-based company's patent, officials said Wednesday.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Martin Jenkins in San Francisco upheld Allergan's and Syntex LLC's patent on Acular solution.

Acular is used to treat a range of conditions including allergies, sensitivity to light, and pain and inflammation from eye surgery, according to Allergan's Stephanie Fagan.

Under Jenkins' ruling, Apotex Inc., Apotex Corp., and Novex Pharma will be barred from marketing a generic version of the drug until the patent expires in 2009.

IRS acts to stop abuse of Roth IRA 

WASHINGTON - The Treasury Department took action Wednesday to crack down on taxpayers who use certain business transactions to avoid contribution limits on tax-advantaged Roth individual retirement accounts.

The Internal Revenue Service's notice says such transactions would be put on its list of abusive tax shelters. That means taxpayers are required to disclose them and tax advisers must keep lists of investors who use them.

The yearly individual contribution to a Roth individual retirement account in 2003 was $3,000 - though people age 50 or older may contribute an extra $500. The government's action is aimed at situations where a taxpayer shifts assets from a business to his Roth IRA, in an effort to skirt the contribution limits.

US Airways to cut flight attendants

PHILADELPHIA - US Airways Group Inc., which has cut costs since emerging from bankruptcy protection last year, plans to lay off 200 flight attendants this month, including 117 based at Philadelphia International Airport, the company said Wednesday.

The layoffs are the result of about 300 attendants who had been on voluntary furloughs returning to work, said David Castelveter, spokesman for the Arlington, Va.-based airline.

To balance staffing levels, the airline said it needed to lay off 200 active flight attendants, 36 ground-service and baggage-equipment workers and 19 cabin cleaners. Castelveter said he did not know where the ground machinery workers and aircraft cleaners were based.