Also

* Connetics Corp. said the Securities and Exchange Commission was conducting a formal investigation to determine whether employees, directors or anyone associated with the company violated securities laws. One employee has been fired on suspicion of insider trading, the Palo Alto company said.

* A U.S. District Court judge has approved a $2.65-billion class-action settlement of claims that advertising revenue was counted in a fraudulent manner before the merger of America Online Inc. and Time Warner Inc.

* Calpine Corp. asked a Bankruptcy Court judge for permission to pay as much as $44 million in bonuses to encourage employees to stay with the power plant operator.