Also. . .

Societe Bic, the Paris-based parent of Bic Corp., is suing Sheaffer Inc. to prevent the U.S. pen maker’s management from selling the company to anyone else. Bic agreed to buy the world’s fifth-largest pen brand from Geneva-based bank Gefinor for less than $50 million, though Sheaffer said it would sell the company to a management group instead. Fort Madison, Iowa-based Sheaffer executives were not immediately available for comment on Bic’s lawsuit. . . . U.S. Postmaster General Marvin Runyon said the U.S. Postal Service “may earn another billion dollars in net income this year.” That would make it the third straight year for such profit. Surpluses in 1995 and 1996 totaled $3.4 billion.