MARKET BRIEFS

* Dividends on the Rise: In another sign of U.S. companies’ improving financial health, the number of firms raising cash dividend payments to shareholders jumped to 124 in March, up 27% from 98 in March, 1992.

For the entire first quarter, dividend increases totaled 443, up 26% from a year earlier, according to Standard & Poor’s Corp.

Also, the number of companies cutting or omitting dividends dropped to 63 for the quarter from 77 a year earlier.

S&P; said it expects dividends on the average blue chip stock to rise 4% to 5% this year, compared to a 1.5% rise in 1992. But the new estimate is down from 6% originally projected for 1993.