IN BRIEF

Progressive Gaming delays profit report

Progressive Gaming International Corp., a Las Vegas slot and table-game maker, postponed its first quarter earnings release until at least Tuesday.

The Las Vegas-based gaming equipment manufacturer said it needed additional time in order to complete necessary quarterly closing procedures.

The earnings will cover the quarter that ended March 31.

Progressive Gaming shares fell 16 cents, or 3.26 percent, Thursday to close at $4.75.

Governor creates energy-access panel

Gov. Jim Gibbons late Wednesday announced that he created the Nevada Renewable Energy Transmission Access Advisory Committee and named 14 members.

Daniel Schochet, vice president of geothermal power developer Ormat, was named chairman. Jeneane Harter, president of HiTech Communications, was named vice chairwoman.

The committee will report to the governor by the end of the year on ways to provide transmission line access to remote renewable energy sites, which are optimal for wind, solar and geothermal energy from hot underground water.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.

H&R Block's customer count up this season

H&R Block said Thursday it served 3.8 percent more customers this past income tax season than last year, mainly through online channels and software sales.

The nation's largest tax preparer reported serving nearly 19.9 million customers between November and April 18, compared with about 19.1 million during a shorter period a year ago.

A year earlier, the increase during the tax season was 1.4 percent.

Hard times here for United parent, pilots

UAL Corp. Chief Executive Officer Glenn Tilton, addressing the company's first annual meeting in five years, told shareholders "this is a difficult time" for United Airlines. Pilots agreed.

"Employee morale is at an all-time low," Margaret Freeman, who said she's a United captain, told Tilton on Thursday at the meeting in Chicago. "We have lost all confidence in your management. The employees are no longer behind you."

Tension over finances at UAL, which had losses in the past two quarters after exiting bankruptcy in February 2006, spilled into the meeting as Tilton told investors there was "still much more to do" and pilots complained about United's struggles even after they lost their pensions and took pay cuts.

Pilots at United, the world's second-biggest airline by traffic, are angry over executives' compensation and are seeking work-rule changes before their contract becomes open for amendment at the end of 2009.

NEW YORK

Two plead guilty to securities fraud

A married couple, both lawyers, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and securities fraud Thursday in what was described as one of the biggest insider-trading operations since the 1980s, a $15 million scam that reached into some of the nation's top financial firms.

Randi Collotta, 30, a former employee of Morgan Stanley and Co. in Manhattan, and her husband, Christopher Collotta, 34, who worked in private practice, were among 13 people who were criminally charged in the case.

The couple received $9,000 in kickbacks for inside tips that generated more than $600,000 in illegal profits, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Fish said..

MERRILL, Wis.

State to fuel seller: Raise prices or else

A service station that offered discounted gasoline to senior citizens and people supporting youth sports has been ordered by the state to raise its prices.

Center City BP owner Raj Bhandari has been offering senior citizens a 2 cent per gallon price break and discount cards that let sports boosters pay 3 cents less per gallon.

But the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection says those deals violate Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Act, which requires stations to sell gas for about 9.2 percent more than the wholesale price.

Bhandari said he received a letter from the state auditor last month saying the state would sue him if he did not raise his prices.

NEW YORK

Bond prices increase on economic news

U.S. Treasury prices ended higher Thursday on several factors, including weaker economic data and falling stocks.

At 5 p.m. EDT, the 10-year Treasury note was up $1.88 per $1,000 in face value, or 0.19 points, from its level at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Its yield, which moves in the opposite direction, fell to 4.64 percent from 4.67 percent.

The 30-year bond rose 0.22 points. Its yield fell to 4.82 percent from 4.84 percent.