Also

* Worldwide engineering and consulting firm Fluor Corp. said Thursday it has been picked to provide engineering and procurement services for a clean-fuels program at a Conoco refinery in Ponca City, Okla. The value of the contract to the Aliso Viejo company is $9.2 million, which will be booked in the second quarter.

* Costco Wholesale Corp.’s fiscal third-quarter profit rose 24% as costs declined in the expansion of the largest U.S. chain of warehouse clubs and sales increased.

Net income rose to $130.4 million, or 28 cents a share, from $105.3 million, or 23 cents, a year earlier. Revenue rose 12% to $8.62 billion.

* Advanced Micro Devices Inc., following rival Intel Corp., has cut prices on nearly all its microprocessors by 7% to 52% to remain competitive.

* Neiman Marcus Group Inc.’s third-quarter profit rose 23% as the upscale retailer pared inventory and offered fewer discounts. Net income increased to $47 million, or 98 cents a share, on sales of $692.7million, a 0.8% increase.