Ticker Talk: News and Notes

* Computer problems prevented online trading at Charles Schwab Corp. for much of Wednesday morning, the latest in a spate of disruptions at the major Internet brokerages. About 6:35 a.m. PST, just minutes after the stock market opened, the brokerage’s online trading system crashed. By about 8:30, service was partially restored, although some customers were still experiencing problems. In early February, software problems at rival E-Trade Group Inc. derailed online trading three times, prompting two class-action suits against that brokerage. Smaller rivals, including Ameritrade and Datek, have also had service interruptions.