EARNINGS

Charter Communications Inc. said its fourth-quarter loss widened as customers defected to satellite TV. Charter said 83,100 customers quit its basic cable service during the quarter, more than double the number analysts expected. The quarterly net loss widened to $339 million, or $1.12 a share, from $57 million, or 20 cents, a year earlier, the company said. Sales increased 4.8% to $1.28 billion.