IN BRIEF.

VALLEY INDEX JUMPS: Stocks in the Daily News/Bloomberg Index rose 0.26 to 133.52, led by The Walt Disney Co. of Burbank and Tekelec of Calabasas. Disney rose 1 15/16 to 111 15/16. Tekelec rose 1-7/8 to 40-7/8.

- Bloomberg News

STOCK SPLIT: Calabasas-based Cheesecake Factory will split its stock on a three-for-two basis April 1 to shareholders of record March 12. The restaurant chain also authorized the repurchase of up to 300,000 shares of stock for reissuance upon exercise of stock options.

- Daily News

TOO HOT: Sun Valley-based Flamemaster Corp. said Friday that it will award a 20 percent stock dividend to all existing shareholders of record as of March 26. Current investors will receive an additional Flamemaster share for every five they currently hold.

- Daily News

NO DISNEY PACKAGING: British broadcast regulators said Friday that British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC has agreed to stop bundling the Disney Channel with its subscription movie channels. The Independent Television Commission had investigated the matter after Videotron, a British cable operator, complained that its viewers were required to purchase two BSkyB movie channels before they could get the Disney Channel. Beginning Monday, the Disney Channel will be available to cable operators on a stand-alone basis, the commission said.

- Associated Press